Detroit Country Day girls lacrosse wins state title with overtime win

BEVERLY HILLS — The Detroit Country Day girls lacrosse team won the 2025 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division II state championship by a score of 10-9 June 7 at University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium in Ann Arbor.

The final was a rematch from the 2024 title match, when Grand Rapids Catholic Central defeated Detroit Country Day by a score of … 10-9.

“I think the season started last year the day after we lost to DRCC,” Country Day head coach Liz Nussbaum said. “By the time March rolled around… I feel like the team was already really gelling.”

This year, the title game went into overtime, and the girls did enough to avenge the loss from a year ago.

“For us seniors and for the players that we had last year it really meant a lot to us,” Detroit Country Day senior Georgia Pavlou said. “It’s not revenge … but I wanted to be back on top, and it motivated me every single day.”

The team shared those thoughts, and everyone in and around the program has emphasized how hard the team worked in 2025.

“You have to earn it, too. Detroit Country Day is a hard school on and off the field. It’s hard work,” Detroit Country Day senior Mary Pavlou said. “But we can do hard things. The toughness and the grit is something we really bond over. … The team culture and the school culture is really special.”

The team won by double digits in the regional final and the state semifinal before the close title match. The team’s versatility and adaptability was proven time and time again all year.

“We’re so adaptable and can just adjust to anything,” Georgia Palvou said. “If the other team is doing a backer defense or just a man-to-man defense or they’re throwing a lot of checks … we can just adjust to it. We come together as one and support each other.”

Another key reason for the program’s success is a culture of never settling. Country Day won by wide margins all year, but was still able to pull off a close victory in the final game of 2025.

“There’s always a new limit to reach. Yes, it’s nice to beat teams by a lot, but what’s new limits that we can set for ourselves and that we can chase?” Mary Pavlou said. “Playing high-quality, high-level that would contest not just in Michigan but in the Midwest, and one day, hopefully, nationwide.”

Detroit Country Day ended the season with a 17-1 record in 2025 and went undefeated against teams in Michigan. The team’s only loss was an 18-11 final March 29 against Carmel High School in Indiana. Country Day went to Chicago to face Loyola Academy and New Trier High School. New Trier ended up winning its state title game as well.

“We worked really hard to try to build relationships with schools from other states and bring Michigan lacrosse to that front stage,” Nussbaum explained. “This is the first year we were able to actually have a team come play us as a top-ranked, out-of-state team.”

Country Day lacrosse has established itself as one of the consistent producers in the state. Year in and year out the team is competitive on the field and thriving off the field.

“I feel like Country Day lacrosse is a consistent in these girls’ lives,” Nussbaum said. “We have such a strong network of girls that once you’re part of the lacrosse community, it’s like you never forget. I think that’s what brings us strength.”

This marks the fourth consecutive season that Detroit Country Day’s girls lacrosse team has played in Division 2 and is the team’s second championship in program history, also winning in 2023.