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10/14/2021 12:00 AMHaving grown up playing lacrosse and with dreams of competing at the Division I level in college, Lilly Lavigne is looking forward to her freshman season with the Valley Regional girls’ lacrosse team this spring. Lilly feels even more excited about competing as a freshman now that she’s making huge contributions to the Warriors’ field hockey squad this fall.
Lilly, who plays the high center forward position, is the leading scorer for her undefeated Valley field hockey team with 13 goals and 6 assists on the season. On top of that, she’s also the leading scorer in the Shoreline Conference, something that Lilly says is “really cool.”
Lilly’s field hockey career began with the HTC Field Hockey Club just two years ago when she played for a 5-on-5 indoor team. While she hasn’t been playing for too long, Lilly has been around the game for as long as she can remember. Lilly’s mother Debbie played field hockey at the University of Iowa and then coached at Connecticut College for 15 years. Her older sister Brooke is now a senior captain for Valley.
“It’s like I was born into it and, when I was little, we’d always go to [mom’s] games,” says Lilly. “Now, it’s amazing, because my sister is a senior captain, so I get to work with her. Being on the same team in the same game she’s playing, I always know how she’s feeling.”
The family love of field hockey doesn’t stop there. Lilly’s cousin Abby Peterson also influenced her to give field hockey a try. Lilly enjoyed watching Peterson play with HTC and, when Lilly joined the program, they even got to scrimmage together. Peterson is now playing in college for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Though Lilly misses her cousin, she has plenty of practice partners at home in her mother, her sister, and her dad Andy, who’s “a big field hockey guy and our No. 1 fan.” Her mom even helped coach Lilly’s team in a summer league.
“She gives me that extra coaching side of things and helps me with things I could improve on and things I did well,” Lilly says of her mother. “My dad understands the game, too, after watching my mom coach all those years and my sister play and me play. It’s helpful having parents who understand the game.”
Lilly felt that it might be “a little intimidating” as she headed into her first high school sports experience, but between having her sister as a captain and working with her new teammates, Lilly felt welcomed right away. Lilly feels thankful that all of the captains are “super nice and approachable” and that she’s quickly got to know so many people at Valley Regional, where Lilly is excelling in all of her Level 1 classes.
Lilly and the Warriors are seeing success on the field this season as Valley has the best record in the Shoreline Conference at 10-0-1. The Warriors are looking to finish the year as the top squad in the conference and then make a run at a state title.
“It’s crazy how good we’re doing as a team, and we’re working well together,” says Lilly. “We’re on a roll right now, and we just want to keep our momentum.”
One of Lilly’s favorite aspects of field hockey is practicing. During Valley’s practices, Lilly absorbs the guidance of her teammates, especially her sister, as well as senior captain Abby Amara, who “helps me work on shooting, receiving, and all the fundamentals,” and senior Emily Kateley, who “helps me a lot when I go against her on defense and put those skills into play.” Lilly is looking forward to returning the favor as John Winthrop Middle School recently reinstated its field hockey program, and the Warriors will be welcoming the younger players for an upcoming clinic.
Valley Head Coach Beth McCabe Powers has seen Lilly’s passion for practicing. The Warriors’ coach is impressed with the contributions that Lilly is making to the team as a freshman.
“Lilly is an exceptionally skilled freshman who brings her enthusiastic spirit and excellent work ethic to our team,” McCabe Powers says. “She has wonderful attack skills and plays hockey much wiser than her age. She currently is leading the team in scoring, which is quite impressive given our veteran squad.”
As much as she loves field hockey, Lilly’s passion for lacrosse is as strong as ever. Lilly started playing lacrosse in 3rd grade with the Lyme Ticks, which draws players Region 4, Old Lyme, and Old Saybrook. In 6th grade, she joined the New England-South team through 3d Lacrosse, a local program that participates in a national club.
Lilly competes in regional and national tournaments with 3d. She was invited to play for a Maryland team in a regional tournament this November and, during the holiday break, will be traveling to Orlando as part of 3d’s 2025 national team for the National Club Championships sponsored by New Balance.
“Playing Premier gives you that extra practice, more opportunities, and more exposure by going to tournaments,” says Lilly. “Plus, it’s a great way to make more friends and be able to play with different people.”
Lilly is eager to compete for the girls’ lacrosse squad at Valley Regional in the springtime. Lilly knows that she will see many familiar faces—both on the Warriors and opposing teams—as a result from playing for the Ticks for so many years.
“It’s going to be fun to see all of those players on the field, whether playing with them or against them,” Lilly says. “I’m super excited for the high school season. We have some really good players and a lot of freshmen, which is good. I’d love to get into Shorelines or states. That would be insane.”
Lilly will prepare for the spring season by playing fall lacrosse with 3d, as well as box lacrosse in the winter. She also plans to continue honing her field hockey skills with her HTC team.
In addition to her commitment to athletics and academics, Lilly is working toward her confirmation. She also recently began volunteering with Best Buddies, where her sister founded a local chapter at their school. When she has free time, Lilly enjoys going on hikes with her family and spending time at the beach in Old Lyme, which is her “happy place.”
While he’s just getting started as an athlete at Valley Regional, Lilly already has big aspirations for her career beyond high school.
“I really want to play DI lacrosse. Really want to get there,” says Lilly. “Or I could end up at a DIII school playing lacrosse and field hockey. That would be so cool.”