Girls' Hockey Gives Noble and Greenough Tough Fight
By: Claire Fu, Sofia Morais
Prep Sami Smith readjusts the grip on her stick and digs her skates into the ice, steadying her stance. Her eyes dart back and forth, following the criss-crossing path of the puck between passes as the opposing team’s offense speeds towards her. The Exeter defense, led by senior Audrey Choi, battles for possession, but Noble and Greenough School steals the puck in the end. When the puck is shot towards the goal, S. Smith makes a dive. She lunges for the puck, her glove stopping it in its path, preventing an additional goal for Nobles.
This play, and many others, earned S. Smith the title of Player of the Game in Exeter Girls’ Varsity Hockey’s face off against the Noble and Greenough School this past Saturday. Although the game ended in a 3-0 loss for Exeter, the team saw many outstanding performances.
S. Smith credited her sister, senior co-captain Abby Smith, on helping “my confidence increase during that game, even though we were down. Overall, Nobles was a really tough team and great competitor, and this was a really fun game to be a part of. Getting MVP really showed that hard work, positivity and drive pay off.”
With Nobles ranked highly within the league and on an undefeated streak, Big Red “went into [the game] with an underdog mindset,” A. Smith said. “We collectively understood that we had to work hard, battle hard and want to score more than the other team.” This motivation transferred into an intense game for Big Red.
Prep Eden Welch kept a recent game against Stanstead School in mind during her preparation. The team at-large hoped to employ similar tactics on the ice against their new opponent. “We knew Nobles was a really good team and had to come out playing aggressive and hard. So during practice we tried to replicate the intensity we had against Stanstead,” Welch said. “We also wanted to make sure we were playing smart throughout the game.”
During the game, the supportive bench and defense played a large role in the offense’s efforts. A. Smith specifically highlighted Choi. “She normally plays forward, but because of injuries on the team, she had to play defense. She played amazing!” Smith said. “She made great breakout passes, rushed by the entire Nobles team and showed great leadership on the ice.”
Choi gained the recognition of other teammates with her versatility. “Choi’s defense was a huge help throughout the game, considering it’s typically much harder for a player to take on a position they aren’t used to and do well,” Welch said. “Seeing as some previous teams didn’t have an offensive zone like Nobles, we had to make quick adjustments during the game.”
In preparation for their next game, the team will focus on their defensive coverage and offensive tactics. Lower Molly Longfield said, “We need to focus on keeping our plays simple.” Welch agreed and added, “this week, we need to practice being quick on our feet and continue to make consistent shots on net.” As they surge into the next of the season, the girls hope to come out on top against Rivers this Saturday and regain their winning streak.