POULSBO — It’s been almost two months since the Kitsap Lacrosse team emerged from the state tournament as champions of the B division at Seahawks Stadium. And the squad’s Monday night exhibition with the Royal School of Surrey, England was mainly just for fun and experience.

But the champs were certainly not about to give up a loss — even if their opponents came from the other side of the Atlantic.

Kitsap added a feather to its cap by beating the Royal School by a 12-9 final, in a game that also featured the Poulsbo-area team’s ability to adapt when competing against teams that employ a totally different style of play.

“They’re very aggressive and I was intimated by how close they followed (on defense),” said Kitsap’s Erin Leeper. “I just had to ignore that and play my game.”

It was a much more physical contest, complete with stick checking and in-your-face defense. Fewer calls by the referees also appeared to be made than would be in a regular Washington state game.

“They play a little bit differently than we do,” said Kitsap’s Jasmine Henry. “Even their offense played really good defense.”

Kitsap opened the game with five unanswered goals, leaving the Surrey team on its heels to begin the contest. But the British Empire would strike back, and in the last two minutes before half-time, Surrey hit the back of the net three times to go into the half down only two goals. Kitsap’s senior defender Anna Tanodra credited the British comeback with a little rust on the part of her team, and herself.

“We took for granted their offense and defense — and I forgot how to play for a minute,” she said. “I just needed some warm up a little bit.”

The two teams came out battling in the second half, going back and forth in scoring, with Kitsap generally maintaining a small lead.

“They were getting draw control and they would just whip down the field,” Henry said, adding that the British team did little in the way of passing once on offense.

But in the end, two goals — by Rachel Perry and Megan Lockert — sealed the 12-9 victory.

Kitsap coach Val Torrens said that her team simply needed to alter their game plan a bit in order to stymie the rugged British defense as well as its charging offense.

“I can tell them what they need to do and they know how to go out and do it,” Torrens said. “They know what to do and how to respond.”