Field Hockey Sets the Tone for Strong Season
This weekend, the varsity field hockey team showed a crowd-pleasing performance during the jamboree at Hatch Field. Despite the autumn rain, both the team and the bystanders were fired up as PEA beat Nobles and Greenough 1-0 and tied Lawrence Academy 0-0. The victory against Nobles is encouraging since PEA lost against the team last year during the regular season. This jamboree afternoon was spent showing visiting teams from schools such as Pingree and Brooks that Big Red would be a formidable opponent in the upcoming season.
The results of the jamboree were quite uncertain before the start of school, as many new members joined the varsity field hockey team this year. However, during the jamboree, the new sophomores and juniors displayed a strong and consistent effort throughout the grueling 30-minute games, not wavering in the final minutes. The team used the jamboree games to test out its athletic abilities and will probably continue to show its vigorous and fast-paced energy in future games.
After the game, co-captain upper Hannah Littlewood praised the strong points of the team, such as “working together and communicating on the field and working hard throughout the whole game, giving it our best effort.” Teamwork was crucial in these first two games as one of the main concerns for the team was whether the new and returning members could work well together and find their rhythm. These worries quickly dissipated once the team got out onto the field, showing impressive passing combinations and exciting plays. After showing such great harmony this early on, the team is only expected to improve its coordination and communication as the season progresses.
Upper Gracie Goodwin attributes the success of the team to the preparation that was made beforehand. “We’ve been working really hard in practice and really coming together as a team so that helped us perform well. We also have a really great collective energy,” she said about the work ethic of the team and everyone’s determination to make this season a memorable one. This determination was especially visible during the huddle of the second game, as Goodwin and the other players showed a fiery enthusiasm that could be felt even from the sidelines.
The strong performance of Big Red during jamboree does not discount the performance of any of the other teams that participated. In fact, Lawrence Academy posed a significant challenge during its game against Exeter, almost scoring on several occasions. The defense of Exeter’s varsity team shone through during jamboree, with many exceptional plays. To complement the strong defense, Littlewood also hopes to “improve the accuracy of some passes and get into better positions to receive the ball.” Exeter has a rewarding season ahead of it if it can improve its offense to match its defense.
In the upcoming week, Exeter plays against Groton School and Milton Academy, both in home games. After showing such positive results at the jamboree, the field hockey team has set high expectations for future matches against schools such as Deerfield and North Field Mount Hermon. As the regular season kicks off, Big Red can look forward to some exhilarating field hockey games.