Lucia Weyers

After making another save, senior goalie Natalie Parra launches the ball to the Patriot offense.

At Parkway South, success remains strong this season when it comes to the girls varsity lacrosse team.

Not only did the team start off with a winning streak of 9-0 but they have also reached some major goals within the team. This includes seniors Abby Karl and Natalie Parra. Karl reached her 100 goals in a game against Fox High School April 17 and Parra hit 300 saves in the same game. 

While the numbers are impressive to begin with, the stories behind them reveal something more special about the team. 

Karl’s reactions to reaching her 100th goal said everything about the way she approaches the game.

 “All I could think about was celebrating with my team because I couldn’t have done it without them,” Karl said. 

Over four seasons, her growth has been steady. Karl scored 2 goals her freshman year, 12 her sophomore year, had  52 in her junior year, and currently boasts 36 so far this season, for a total of 100 goals as the Patriots head into Senior Night against Parkway Central tonight at home.

Karl’s role has also evolved. Freshman year she played defense but by her junior year she transitioned into a full midfield role. 

“I have gotten a lot more confident, and got a lot more confident with the ball,” Karl said. 

Not only does the confidence show through her scoring success but also highlights her leadership. As a senior captain, Karl sets the tone for each game, often giving speeches to keep the team focused and positive—especially in tough moments.

 “I feel like I encourage us, especially when we are down, I try to be the bigger person and stay positive for my team,” Karl said. 

Head Coach Jeff Korte emphasized that her leadership goes beyond stats.

“She leads by example. She asks her team to step up by stepping up herself,” Korte said. 

Korte also pointed out that her success comes from an unselfish mindset—often passing up good shots to create better opportunities for teammates.

The team’s success doesn’t end there. On the defensive end, Senior Natalie Parra has been just as impactful. Reaching 300 career saves is not a small achievement. Parra heads into Senior Night tonight with 337 saves.

As teammate and senior Abby Eickhoff shared, Parra only began playing goalie relatively recently. 

“She had a lot of pressure on her. Goalie is a position where it’s really hard to just start,” she said.

Despite that, Parra quickly developed into a key part of the team.

“I felt very proud of myself, with starting as a goalie my sophomore year and no idea how to play the position, I was so happy to reach this milestone,” Parra said.

Parra’s presence in the goal does more than stop shots. Teammates describe her as someone who keeps energy high no matter the situation.

“Even if it’s the middle of the game and she’s stressed she can still find ways to make everyone else hyped up,” Eickhoff said. 

That energy feeds directly into the team’s defensive strength and overall confidence.

“I love all the action and being able to stop shots,” Parra said. 

The connection between Karl and Parra and the entire team has been central to both milestones.

“We would look at our stats every day and try to count for each other and always cheer each other on,” Parra said.   

That accountability shows up in games, practices, and even individual growth. Coach Korte highlights the dynamic of this group for making achievements like these possible. Built on values like effort, focus, and unity the program works hard and remains to play for each other. 

“Most of our team is interchangeable and they all do their job,” he said. “They don’t give up and they are unselfish.”