The Charlotte Latin girls’ lacrosse team won its fifth consecutive state championship on Saturday, May 18, defeating the Charlotte Country Day Bucs by a score of 11-8.

The game, played before a vocal crowd on the home turf of Charlotte Latin School, was a back-and-forth match in the first half: the Hawks and the Bucs went into halftime tied 7-7. In the third quarter, however, the Hawks scored four crucial goals while allowing none, for an 11-7 lead; the Bucs responded with one goal in the fourth quarter but were unable to close the gap.

So what was the difference in the second half? “We needed to settle down a little bit,” said Head Coach Nikki Williams. “We were able to tighten up some of our defensive strategies and talk about what they were doing defensively: our kids are great at studying the opponent. Ellé [Collier ’24], our goalie, I think she was a little nervous in the first half. She settled in and made some great saves in the second half.”

The Hawks’ high scorer in the game was Evie McMahan ’24, with four goals; McMahan was also the team’s most prolific scorer through their 15-3 season. Scoring two goals each were Ardyn Henry ’24 and Riley Milligan ’25. Adding one goal each were Alison Archibald ’25, Reese Morgan ’25, and Carolyn Uys ’26.

The Hawks were defending their NCISAA [North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association] Division I Girls’ Lacrosse title, a streak that extends back to the spring of 2019. (The 2020 season was cut short without a champion due to the pandemic; Charlotte Latin triumphed again in 2021, 2022, and 2023.) After the game clock ticked down the final seconds, the Latin fans, dressed in home whites, rushed the field and joined the dogpile of players celebrating their 2024 championship.

“Every year we get a little bit better,” Williams said. “I feel very fortunate to be with these players and work with these families. The support of our parents and our athletic department has been a blessing: it means me and my coaches can just coach. I’m excited about the future.”

Click here for more photos from the game from Charlotte Latin School Athletics.