The Mercer Island boys lacrosse team experienced its first three losses of the season during the annual East Coast trip last week in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

The Islanders fell to Eastern Massachusetts Division I state runner-up Duxbury 9-5 on April 11 and then found themselves on the opposite end of a 21-9 blowout against Eastern Massachusetts Division I state champion Lincoln-Sudbury on April 13. In the trip’s finale, MIAA Division II state champion Medfield pulled away in the second half to defeat Mercer Island 15-8.

The level of competition was a stark contrast to what the Islanders faced through their first six games of the season. Mercer Island coach Chris Long called the trip an eye-opening experience for both players and coaches. He noted some of the programs out east date back 50 years. Mercer Island’s lacrosse program began in 1993.

“These games are kind of a measuring stick on what we need to do better,” Long told the Reporter. “I think in some games [against local teams], players can coast by a little bit. These games help reinforce some of the things we have to do. Once we’re on the field, we have to be 100 percent mentally focused and physically active and can’t lapse. We’ve made a few mistakes that cost us dearly and I think that message has gotten across to these boys.”

A bright spot for Mercer Island during the trip, Long said, was the play of senior goalie Ezra Tillinger, who is committed to play lacrosse at Marquette next year.

“He’s been getting a lot of saves and getting compliments from a lot of coaches,” he said.

The trip wasn’t just lacrosse for the players and coaches. The team explored New England, went to Quincy Market, saw Revolutionary War battlefields and watched the Boston Red Sox take on the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park.

“We rode the ‘T’ from Fenway Park to Government Center and got a real feel for the public transit system that’s been around,” Long said. “I think at least 10 of [the boys] commented, ‘Wow, the accent is real.'”

Though no longer undefeated, Long said he expected his team to hold on to the experiences from the trip’s losses and use it for improvement as the Islanders begin the second half of their season.

“We try to set a goal to come away with one win out of the three. It’d be nice to have three wins but we know it’s tough competition,” Long said prior to Friday’s matchup against Medfield. “If we don’t come away with it but can compete [against Medfield], regardless of if it’s a win or loss, I’d be very pleased. This trip has given us things to get better at for sure.”