Bow needed to bounce back after their five-game win streak was cut short but John Stark on Monday. Josie Johnson swooped in with a first-half hat-trick alongside a strong Falcons front line to win easily at home and keep moving toward the playoffs.

Johnson said the team was not too shaken by the loss to the Generals on Monday and came in with a clean slate, which helped them find a rhythm early on. Attackers Vita Flagg, Kylie McKee and Ella Gray all scored multiple goals for the Falcons to bring it home.

“We had like a different lineup than we normally do, and I think we distributed the ball beautifully, and I think we’re just playing as a team finally, together, and we’re doing great,” Johnson said.

The 13-3 win was big for the Falcons, according to head coach Chris Raabe. She switched up some of the rotations on offense and is trying to prepare the whole squad for more intense and demanding defenses.

“John Stark, who just out-hustled us, we just weren’t quick enough, and today we’re just trying to work through some plays and a little bit more team aspect of passing and moving the ball better,” Raabe added.

Bishop Brady (1-7) came into this game with one win and six losses, many of which came against playoff contenders, and had the potential to surprise the now 9-3 Falcons, but fell short in the end.

For Giants coach Alex Sacco, this season has focused on fundamentals and growth. The team is taking it game-to-game and focusing on each opponent, one at a time, to identify areas of improvement while staying competitive.

“I’ve been working with a lot of newbies who have either never played defense or never played lacrosse, it’s been a challenge. But they’re showing up willing to work and willing to learn, so we’re making it work, and they’ve made huge progress from day one,” she said.

With only a few games left in the season, the margin for error for playoff contention is decreasing by the day, and Bow will need to continue to step up to secure a top-five finish.

Alexander Rapp can be reached at arapp@cmonitor.com