Bromfield’s Laura Jarvis (center) pushes past her Narragansett opponents. (Photo by Vishwa Rasania)
Bromfield varsity field hockey toppled Narragansett’s undefeated record last Friday on the Bromfield home field. The Trojans overran their opponents with quick feet and agile sticks, which kept them one step ahead of the Warriors throughout the game.
Bromfield and Narragansett ran back and forth during the first half, but neither team managed to score. Bromfield stepped it up, and scored twice in the second half, ending the game with a 2-0 victory. Narragansett, a once-undefeated team, now shares a 2-1 record with Bromfield.
Just one minute into the game, Bromfield and Narragansett midfield players struggled to gain control over the ball. Laura Jarvis, Bromfield’s right side midfielder said after the game, “In my personal opinion, playing midfield is one of the hardest positions. It means that you must play both offense and defense.”
Bromfield attempted to score several times throughout the first half, but Narragansett’s tough defenses blocked all the strikes. The half-time whistle was blown, and tensions rose as Bromfield realized there were only 30 minutes left to defeat Narragansett. Senior team captain Jordan Davy said, “During the first half we didn’t have great communication, our passes were not as accurate, and our speed was not fully utilized.”
Ten minutes into the second half, Bromfield’s center midfielder, Haley Newsham, soared across the field and gained control of the ball. Haley attempted to pass the ball to a fellow midfielder, only to be blocked out by an enraged Narragansett defender.
Narragansett’s iron defenses seemed impenetrable until Raegan Heck, Narragansett’s goalie, accidentally jumped on top of the ball, giving Bromfield a penalty strike. Bromfield took advantage of this windfall and called the sweeper, Katherine Friedrich to make the hit. Katherine smashed the ball right past Narragansett’s goalie, giving Bromfield the much anticipated 1-0 lead.
Co-captain Eva Kenna said, “We worked hard in both halves, but it seems to take us a while to get started. Once we figure out how the other team plays, we are able to adjust our playing in order to take full advantage of our opportunities.”
Bromfield did not take the goal as a means to slack off, and once again jumped into high gear, ready to keep back all opponents. Narragansett, unwilling to leave this game defeated, attempted to strike the ball into Bromfield’s goal several times, but no hits prevailed.
With nine minutes left on the timer, Bromfield fans and teammates sat on the edges of their seats, nervous, and unsure if Bromfield could hold this lead against such a powerful team.
Junior Sarah Andrews sprinted to Narragansett’s side of the field, determined to end the game on a high note. Anna Hadorn received the ball from a short pass made by Sarah, and flicked it right into Narragansett’s goal, giving Bromfield a 2-0 lead.
The game ended with a clear victory for Bromfield. The girls stepped off the field proud of their victory, but exhausted from playing against such a strong opponent.
“Winning a game is one of the best feelings ever,” said Jarvis. “Our game against Narragansett was one very intense game, but in the end, it came down to which team wanted it more. Knowing that our team beat Narragansett, an undefeated team, makes me hopeful and excited for the rest of the season to come.”
