Fuqua School’s varsity girls lacrosse team had to adjust to new leadership this season, but the girls adapted and stand as an improved team entering the Blue Ridge Tournament this week.

“I think that we’ve really improved throughout the season,” said new Lady Falcons Head Coach Davia Williams said. “When we started, it was a learning experience for both me and the girls, because they had a new coach, and they had to learn the style of play that I wanted to play, and I had to learn their strengths so we could figure out what would work best with offense and defense. We switched up our goalie halfway through the season, so there’s definitely been a learning curve, but I think that we’re playing lacrosse at a much higher level now than we were at the beginning of the season, which is what any coach really wants.”

The Lady Falcons enter the postseason with an overall record of 4-6.

Williams holds much experience in the sport, having played for as many as nine years and having coached for eight. Included in that experience, in addition to playing and coaching in high school and college, Williams has played for the Israel National Team and also coached Israel’s U-19 squad.

She leads a Fuqua team that features two seniors, five juniors, six sophomores and three eighth-graders.

Leading the team on offense is sophomore attackman Elizabeth Hall, who Williams said has a remarkably quick shot.

Senior Harper Melton shines in the midfield.

“She is our leading scorer by a lot, and she’s also our leading assister by a lot,” Williams said.

On defense, senior Irene Thornton is a key vocal leader.

“She is like the quarterback of our defense,” Williams said.