Girls' Lacrosse Seeks to Uphold the Standard, Chases Another Inter-Ac Title
The target on the Episcopal Academy’s girls’ lacrosse team has never been bigger. The consensus hierarchy of the Inter-Academic League is that it could very likely be a four-team battle for the championship, a year after the Churchwomen went undefeated and finished as the No. 2 team in the country. There are plenty of ‘25 alumnae that are already making a significant impact at the collegiate level as freshmen, a testament to the depth and overall talent of last year’s team.
Last year was last year, though, and this year is different in some ways. What doesn’t change, however, is EA’s team standard. That will never change. Since head coach Josie Tomaino took over the program before the 2014 season, the Churchwomen have claimed at least a share of nine league championships. That number includes five outright titles and a pair of top-5 final national rankings. EA has 18 titles to its credit since 2005. The standard is one of excellence on an annual basis.
“There’s definitely a little bit of pressure in living up to the same standard as the team that went undefeated last year,” said Sofia Gagliardi, a senior midfielder who signed with the University of Maryland. “It’s an entirely new program with new players and faces. We’re trying to figure everything out while knowing that we’re getting everybody’s best game.”
“We talk about our standard being less about the result and more about how we play and present ourselves,” said Caroline Johnston, a senior midfielder committed to Cornell. “We always had a target on our back last year and even before then. This year is definitely an adjustment because we had girls on the team last year who set the standard so high. We all watched them and experienced the energy that they brought. All of the younger girls have the opportunity to step up, and it’s cool that they have the opportunity to do that when they’re younger, so they can grow more.”
As usual, Tomaino has one of the toughest schedules in the country for her team. The Churchwomen are 6-1 with a loss to Hill Academy (5-4) from Ontario, Canada. Out-of-state opponents from Florida, Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia, and North Carolina headline the non-league slate. The Inter-Ac schedule is potentially more treacherous to navigate than ever before. EA has already notched key wins over Notre Dame (10-8) and Penn Charter (7-6) to start league play.
The 2026 team is different, but that doesn’t mean it’s barren of talent. There’s a group of only eight upperclassmen, and all eight are committed to play in college. Seven of them will head to Division I schools. Nobody on EA’s schedule will shed any tears for the graduation losses that hit the Churchwomen, but there’s more than enough talent to make another run at the title.
"Every year is different, which is what makes coaching so special in high school,” Tomaino said. “You lose a batch of kids and gain a batch of kids every year, and the more new kids you get every year, the more fun it is. We’re not even seeing progress day over day. We’re seeing it within reps at practice. We’re looking forward to continuing the tradition.”
Gagliardi and Johnston are two elite midfielders who will help the Churchwomen control the middle of the field. Gagliardi, the Inter-Ac’s soccer MVP this fall, has excellent speed, terrific footwork, and plays an aggressive game. Johnston has more of a defensive background, especially with a soccer and basketball background.
“Caroline is very vocal, and she’s done a really nice job of mentoring other players,” Tomaino said. “She’s walking through plays with them to make sure they know what they’re doing. We need a strong presence at the midfield, and I think that she’ll be dominant in the midfield.”
Senior Army commit Nora Bailer is a force in the draw circle, averaging 11 draw controls per game in the early going. On the back end, senior defender Caitlin McCarthy is as good as it gets in the league. The Duke signee - also a captain on both the soccer and basketball teams - excels at taking the ball away and collecting ground balls off the turf. Tomaino also loves her leadership qualities. Joining McCarthy on the defensive end is senior goalie Fallon Crowther, a Franklin & Marshall commit. She got a ton of experience two years ago when usual starter Grace Holland '25 missed time early in the season. The Churchwomen went 10-0 in Crowther’s starts, and that trial by fire will be instrumental in helping her shut the door this year.
The junior class features three Division I verbals that should all play major roles. Maya Le, a midfielder committed to the admissions process at the University of Pennsylvania, is a presence all over the field for the Churchwomen.
“She won’t come off the field for us,” Tomaino said. “She’s an excellent defender, but she also has great hands, sees the field really well, and slips in on cuts. She’s worked a lot on her offense and really embraced her new role.”
Virginia Tech commit Avery Buckley jumps into a starting role as a junior. She’ll thrive as the backer in the EA zone defense after playing a ton of midfield for the JV. Ellie Schreder, a Bucknell commit, has played some low attack and midfield and is learning about the defensive end. Sophomore Maeve Irish started as a freshman and figures to be a major recruit this fall. The lefty has excellent speed and some big game experience, including a four-goal performance against top-5 McDonogh (MD) last year.
There’s plenty for Tomaino to work with, and as always, the standard doesn’t change. Penn Charter, Agnes Irwin, and Notre Dame all figure to give EA major challenges, especially when the Churchwomen have to play everyone twice. Then they’ll see those teams again in the PAISAA tournament. There won’t be an undefeated season like in 2025, but the potential for the 2026 squad is still through the roof.
After all, that’s what the standard is.
By Matt Chandik
