Colby Newsham (No. 19) throws her hands into the air after a Bromfield goal against Clinton. (Photos by Christina Perini)
After defeating Clinton by a score of 6-0 to kick off the season, Bromfield field hockey players were dismayed by the outcomes of their next two games. Bromfield beat Clinton on Monday, Sept. 9, but lost to Narragansett 2-1 on Wednesday, Sept. 11, and lost to Lunenburg 2-1 on Friday, Sept. 13.
Coach Sue Silver lists the team’s three main strengths this year: “Speed, physical strength, and stick work. Actually, we use too much stick work at times. We don’t get rid of the ball quite soon enough.”
After losing two out of three games, junior Emma Keaney told the Press: “We really need to pick it up if we want to make Districts this year.” Bromfield must accumulate eighteen points from its eighteen regular season games by the end of the season to qualify for Districts. Each loss is worth zero points, each tie is worth one point, and each win is worth two points.
Landslide win to start the season
The season began later than usual, due to canceled games and a tighter schedule than in previous years. According to junior Diane Leroy, “The energy was palpable.” Junior Lindsay Kerr expressed the anticipation of younger players: “It was my first varsity game, so it was a whole new level of intensity.” Within minutes, Bromfield scored the first goal of the season. Junior Casey Russell scored once, as did senior Nicole West, junior Aliza Maki, and senior Lexi Dutkewych. Junior Colby Newsham scored twice from her position at midfield. However, even coming off of their landslide victory against Clinton, players did not forget that their next game against Narragansett would likely prove more difficult.
Close loss despite stunning second half
During practice talks leading up to the game, Coach Sue Silver repeatedly reminded the team that Narragansett has always been a serious competitor, and that Wednesday’s game would not be an easy win.
Aliza Maki keeps the ball away from her Clinton opponent
When Wednesday, Sept. 11, finally came around, players were both excited and nervous about the away game. Temperatures went up to the nineties that day and humidity was high. Players felt their energy slowly drain away during warm-ups as they jogged around the field, already drenched in sweat.
“Playing conditions were not ideal,” remarked junior Kyra Doher. “It was scorching hot. We almost couldn’t function. But in the second half we really pulled through after a halftime pep-talk.”
In the first half of the game, Narragansett scored two goals, while Bromfield scored none. Bromfield seemed unaccustomed to the field conditions, as the grass grows especially thick at Narragansett. But after halftime, the team bounced back, incorporating lifts and aerials into gameplay to avoid having to deal with the thick grass. As a result, Narragansett did not score at all in the second half, while Bromfield defender Sarah Rowse scored an impressive goal from the top of the circle. The ball, no longer stuck at midfield, spent ample time inside Narragansett’s circle. Although Narragansett maintained possession for about 70 percent of the first half, Bromfield stole the field in the second: defenders made incredible stops, midfields intercepted the hardest of hits, and forwards boasted countless breakaways. Despite their close loss, Bromfield’s gameplay in the second half bodes well for the coming season. “If we had played like we did in the second half for the whole game, we definitely would have won,” says Doher.
Bromfield Field Hockey faced off against Lunenburg on Friday, Sept. 13. Players knew Lunenburg was a strong team, but after Bromfield’s performance in the past two games, many expected a win. Junior Emma Keaney commented, “I think we might have been a little overconfident because we thought Narragansett would be our hardest game that week.”
Indeed, the Bromfield team seemed a bit disjointed, and Lunenburg scored the first goal of the game. With a final score of 2-1, Bromfield players were disappointed by this somewhat surprising loss. Junior Colby Newsham scored Bromfield’s only goal, assisted by senior Lexi Dutkewych. “In both of our losses, we scored in the second half,” noted Coach Sue Silver. Players wonder if a more intensive warm-up would improve their play going into the game. Coach Silver described Bromfield’s performance against Lunenburg as “sluggish,” going on to say that the team certainly could have won all three games if energy levels had been higher and everyone had played their best.
Lily Moore-Eissenberg is a sophomore at the Bromfield School.
