By Southern Connecticut State University Women's Lacrosse Senior Class

At the beginning of the season, our senior class was so excited, as was the rest of our team, but being a senior is such a bittersweet feeling. All of us were excited to see what we were going to accomplish as a team this season. Though we were saddened by the fact that this was our last year on the field together, we were looking forward to it. We were nervous for our last first game, thrilled by our first win, frustrated by our first loss, and determined to have a memorable season.
 
We played five games, and little did we know, those were the last times we were going to step out on the field together.
 
Upon hearing the news of the cancellation of our season, we weren't sure it was real. Could this really be happening? Could the NCAA really cancel the spring season for athletes nationwide? It all happened so fast, and we weren't sure how to take it. How could you tell a spring sport athlete, especially a senior, that they had to pack up all their things, put their season on hold, and head home. It hit hard. 
 
Over the past four years at Southern, lacrosse has taught us so much about ourselves. It gave us a new sense of confidence, motivation, dedication and drive. Losing lacrosse felt like we were losing a piece of ourselves and as well the connections with our fellow teammates, and more specifically, our seniors. We went through everything together. 6 a.m. practices, injuries, what seemed to be endless conditioning sessions, and multiple coaching changes. They will tell you that lacrosse isn't your whole life, but in our tiny world at Southern, it was. We've been through it all, together, and having our last season together taken from us was one of the worst feelings that we've experienced in four years. 
 
​As a team, we have always had a strong bond on-and-off the field. We have always come together as one, fought for what we wanted, and truly knew what we deserved. Last season, we fought for a coach that we knew would change this program for the best. With Coach Kevin Siedlecki on our side, this 2020 season was going to be one for the record books. Five games in, and the team was already making an impact in the Northeast 10. Two of our players were named Player of the Week, one as Goalie of the Week, and multiple were selected to the NE10 Weekly Honor Roll. It was finally our time to show the conference the talent and potential that our program had. Our season, led by seniors whose four years here had been anything but perfect, would be the Cinderella Story we had all hoped and dreamed of. To us, there would not have been a better way to end our collegiate career than with a record-setting season for Southern Connecticut Lacrosse. However, our hopes for the season took an unexpected turn.
 
Our "last first" moments eventually turned into just "last" moments. We as seniors sat down together, tears in our eyes, asking for one more. One more game, one more conditioning session, one more 6 a.m. practice. Maybe just maybe, enough "one more" moments to equal another season, together. We mourn the loss of our season, and the memories that could have been. Within the course of just one week our hopes for those "one more" moments, dwindled and then completely faded away.
 
For athletes that are not seniors, the news was just as heartbreaking. But for them, their journey is not yet over. There is so much more time for them. With that, to all of those athletes, one thing to learn from all of this is that nothing is guaranteed. Any moment could be your last, not just in your sport, but in life. This situation should teach everyone to work your absolute hardest each day, be motivated, and be humble. The most important thing is to leave your mark. Leave the program better than you found it. Give everything to the game that changed your life. Because at any moment, it could be gone.
 
To say it has been a privilege to wear the Southern Connecticut logo is an understatement. To have done it together is even better. It has been a privilege to be leaders of our women's lacrosse team and we are proud of what we created together. As we left for what had seemed to be the final time from the Southern campus and said 'so long' to the best friends that we made four years ago, a flood of emotions would surface. While all the feelings of anger, frustration, and extreme sadness come with losing a season like this, and your career ending not on your own terms, we cannot help but look back and thank everyone that was part of our journey at Southern and we would not trade it for the world. 
 
Morgan Chase, Kendall Simmons, Emily Rossini, Sara Meza, Amanda Murray and Hannah LeBeau