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Provo players pose with the 4A runner-up trophy following their 14-3 loss to Bear River on Thursday. May 21, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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Provo coach Megan Jensen gives words of encouragement to her players following their 14-3 loss to Bear River on Thursday. May 21, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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Provo's Emma Parke scores a goal during her team's 14-3 loss to Bear River in the 4A state championship. May 21, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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The Provo faithful give their team a standing ovation following the Bulldog's 14-3 loss to Bear River on Thursday. May 21, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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Provo players celebrated as if they just won a championship when handed the runner-up trophy at the conclusion of the 4A championship on Thursday, and who could blame them, all things considered.

Sure, the Bulldogs lost to powerhouse Bear River 14-3, a team that has dominated the 4A girls lacrosse circuit since the sport was first sanctioned in 2020, but that’s exactly the point.

“We had our sight set on coming to the finals and getting a second chance at Bear River, and we achieved both of those things,” explained Provo coach Megan Jensen. “It’s always hard when you don’t win the game in the end, but we still feel like that doesn’t take away from all of the things that we achieved all season.”

Indeed Provo achieved a lot in securing a 19-2 overall record and another trip to the 4A state championship game, facts that weren’t lost on anyone involved.

“This has been a really special group and a really special team,” Jensen said. “We were the underdogs coming into this. None of the girls on our team have even played lacrosse for longer than four years. Some of them have only been playing for two years, and the fact that we even get to share a field with a team like Bear River is a huge accomplishment in of itself.”

Provo not only shared the field with the Bears, but gave the four-time defending state champion all they could handle from the outset. Goals were answered early on by Courtney MacFarlane, who scored the first two Bulldog goals, before Bear River finally achieved some breathing space right before the half to go up 6-2 at the break.

“Bear River has a pretty killer offense right around the crease that I think every coach and every team tries, but nobody’s been able to shut it down,” Jensen observed. “And I think we did well in that we shut them down in their game, that they had to kind of regroup and they got a little frazzled there.”

Eventually Bear River figured things out and rolled to dominate most of the second half of play, however. But none of it dampened what could have proved an otherwise dour mood amongst the fans and certainly the Provo players.

“It really was a special year and a special special moment,” Jensen concluded. “So, we’ve got a lot to be proud of, even though it wasn’t the outcome we wanted.”