The Chapel Hill High School women’s lacrosse team finished the regular season with an undefeated record, going 20-0 and taking first place in the DAC-VII conference for the first time in school history.
The team’s 12-0 conference record included sweeps of East Chapel Hill High School, whom the Tigers beat 14-10 on March 30 and 12-7 on April 24, marking the first victories over the Wildcats since 2017.
Sophomore Izzy Hugelmeyer, second on the team in shot percentage and third in goals, said the sweep of their crosstown rivals was a highlight of the season..
“Some of my favorite moments of the season were beating our rival, East, for the first time in my career here and also being conference champs for the first time ever,” Hugelmeyer said. “Our team has made so much growth so fast and I’m super happy to be a part of such a great program!”
The Tigers finished their season in the fourth round of the NCHSAA 4A state playoffs with a 12-10 loss to Topsail High School in Hampstead on May 12. Junior Addie Gilner, sophomores Hugelmeyer and Emily Breshci and freshman Scarlett Gilner all scored in the game.
Other highlights of the Tigers’ season were an overtime 10-9 win over Heritage High High in Wake Forest on April 12, a 25-2 win over crosstown rival Carrboro on April 26 and two playoff wins against Green Hope and Holly Springs High Schools.
School psychologist and assistant coach Emily Heghmann said the Tigers had a great season and believes that team members helped each other succeed.
“This season was pretty incredible and made possible by a group of very talented and driven young ladies with a common goal: to bring out the best in each other’s strengths and to be victorious,” Heghmann said. “Our girls’ lacrosse program has truly set a new bar for the level of sport we intend to play and succeed at.”
Freshman Scarlett Gilner led the team in goals, points and caused turnovers, scoring 131 goals, 171 points, and having 27 caused turnovers. She also had 40 assists, 49 ground balls and 140 draw controls.
Gilner is ranked second in the state and sixth in the country for total goals. Her sister, junior Addie Gilner, is ranked eighth in the country for total career points.
Gilner noted the success of her freshman year season and anticipates what the upcoming years will bring. She said she is proud of what the Tigers accomplished this season and attributed the team’s success to non stop work from each player.
“As a freshman I am lucky to have been able to join such a strong team and to fit right in and play such a big role. I am so proud of both the team and myself, on top of everything our team achieved,” Gilner said. “I truly cannot wait for the next three years of my lacrosse career and to see what our amazing team will do.”
