No sports program at Saint Stephen’s has evolved from birth to state Final Four participant faster than girls’ lacrosse. In just their tenth season of varsity competition, the Falcons ran off 17 consecutive wins to open the 2023 season and advanced to the FHSAA Final Four for the first time.

The program began as a club team in 2009, reached varsity status in 2013, and didn’t waste any time tasting success. Teams comprised entirely of underclassmen and middle school students appeared in district title games in 2014 and 2015, before raising the championship trophy for the first time in 2016. The Falcons have now won five titles in the past nine years.

Although the 2022 squad did not win a district crown, the Falcons posted a 14-3 record and reached the state’s Elite Eight. That set the tone for the 2023 Falcons, who came within two wins of a state championship. Their 17 victories established a new school single-season record, besting the 2017 and 2018 Falcons.

The 2017 team (15-6) repeated as district champions and won a first-round state play-in game for the second consecutive year. The 2018 season brought a third straight district title and the Falcons’ (15-5) deepest post-season run at the time. SSES captured two regional playoff games and reached the Elite Eight before finally bowing out of the tournament.

Saint Stephen’s has been paced by a number of outstanding individual players during its brief history, including future collegiate stars Baylee Barker (Rhodes), Katie Pierce (American University), Taylor Vara (East Stroudsburg), and Sophia Creneti (Swarthmore). The 2024 squad returns USA Lacrosse All- American senior midfielder Sienna Cassella, who is already committed to play at Rutgers University.