Girls’ Hockey Faces Busy Season

While most students were finishing up their winter break, the girls’ varsity hockey team arrived on campus a few days early to resume their rigorous training. Before most students had even unpacked their bags, the team competed in the annual New Year’s Tournament, facing off against Proctor, Milton, Standstead and Brooks on the ice.On Jan. 3, they pushed through three close periods to secure a well-earned win against Proctor. The game went into overtime and then a shootout, with the team finally prevailing 5-4 in the seventh round. “It was a great feeling to pull together and hold our own,” co-captain and senior Rachel Morse said.On the same day, however, Big Red suffered a 1-2 loss to Milton in overtime. Exeter performed marginally better than they did in a game against Milton earlier this season, during which Exeter lost 2-5. On the second day of the tournament, the team suffered two losses: 1-9 against Stanstead college and 1-2 against Brooks.On Wednesday, Jan. 6, the girls went toe-to-toe with Pomfret and pulled through in a resounding 3-1 win. However, senior and captain Allegra Grant said the game against Pomfret was not one of Exeter’s best performances. “The game was just kind of sloppy,” Grant said. “But we got the win at the end of the day, and that’s what counts.” Finally, on Saturday, after a rough match and another overtime period, Big Red tied Brewster 1-1. For senior and captain Nergaard and the other captains, however, it felt like a loss.Nergaard went on to explain how the team’s performance at the games seemed to fluctuate significantly.“Some games were a cohesive effort,” Nergaard said. “Others, we played well in stretches, but lost focus at times.” She highlighted the opening Milton game where Big Red lost 2-5 and the Cushing game the following Saturday. “We should have done better at Milton to open the season,” Nergaard said. “We played much better against Cushing, and although we let them back into it at the end, we held on the win.”Since the start of season, the team has been spending a lot of time together both on and off the ice. In hockey, especially for young teams like Exeter’s girls’ varsity hockey team, chemistry among the players is necessary for success. “We have a bunch of new kids this year,” said Grant. “And the amount of time we spend together both on and off the ice is one of the biggest contributors to our dynamic and improvement.”For the captains, the sub-par record is startling. “It’s surprising that the results aren’t a little better, given how well we communicate and get along,” said Nergaard.Even with a rocky start, the team is still focused on making the playoffs. “We just don’t seem to have everyone clicking at the same time yet,” said Grant. For the next games, the captains are focusing primarily on improving consistency and the team’s ability to put together a run of solid results.“We need better results, and I’m trying to lead by example,” said Nergaard. “I was always taught that getting a pass is a reward for hustling, so I try to break free for those passes in the hopes to show that if the other girls see it and also hustle out, they can also get those passes.”Through intense daily training and a tightening chemistry, girls’ varsity hockey hopes to push through a tough season.“Even though we’re struggling to put it all together, I’m proud of everyone for fighting through until the end,” Nergaard said.