Both Cretin-Derham Hall and Park of Cottage Grove finished in the top three spots in the Suburban East Conference standings last season, and pair are jockeying for position near the top of the conference again this year.
Park (5-1, 2-1) has continued to build off last year's breakout performance — its best since 2015, when it finished third in the conference with a 6-2 record.
Cayla Quade, a senior midfielder, has netted 24 of her team's 67 goals this season, including a season-high seven in an 18-9 win against Woodbury on April 30.
Coming off last season's Suburban East crown, Cretin-Derham Hall stumbled out of the gate with an 8-3 loss to Stillwater, the league's current frontrunner, on April 23. Since then, the Raiders' only loss was in a 14-4 contest against Benilde-St. Margaret's on April 26.
The Raiders (3-2, 3-1) aim to return to the state tournament — something they accomplished in 2016 and 2017 — after falling to Minnehaha Academy 18-12 in the Section 3 title game last season.
Kiera Ryan and Anne Marie Rhoda are among the team's leaders in goals, with each scoring 10 through Cretin-Derham Hall's first four games of the season.