It’s been a frustrating season for this year’s varsity field hockey team, but the girls’ overall record (1-4-2) masks hidden strengths. With the exception of its 4-0 loss to first-place Littleton (10-0-0) earlier this month, every game has been a squeaker —tied or lost by a single point—and Bromfield’s strong defense has kept game scores in the low single digits.
The team has had its share of disappointing near misses, said senior co-captain and midfielder Jordan Hoover last week. “But we’re almost there,” she said, noting the string of 0-0 and 1-0 outcomes prior to last Friday’s 2-1 loss to Hudson.
That game was another close contest between teams of similar abilities. Five minutes into the first quarter, Hudson sophomore attacker Lila Rice got past Bromfield’s defenders and passed the ball to junior attacker Maia Nicolosi, who shot it into the Trojans’ goal. Six minutes later, Bromfield junior Sara Burns responded with a goal that evened the score 1-1.
Bromfield goalie Hannah Murphy (25) blocks a Hudson shot with her leg guards in the field hockey game against Hudson Oct. 1.(Photo by Kent Boynton)
For the next two quarters, possession seesawed between the two teams. Bromfield’s defense held until the final minute of the third quarter, when Hudson senior attacker Lina Fossile sent a penalty corner to the stick of junior Olivia Bower, who scooted the ball past Bromfield goalie Hannah Murphy to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead.
Hudson dominated play for most of the fourth quarter, repeatedly entering Trojans territory but unable to score on any of the five penalty corners it was awarded. Bromfield’s offense seemed to come alive in the final three minutes of the game but was unable to score, in spite of three corners of its own, leaving the team with another narrow, but disappointing, loss.
“I don’t worry when a team has our corner, because our team defends it well,” said Coach Sue Silver after the game. In fact the Hawks received a total of 14 corners in Friday’s game, but they converted only one, an abundance of opportunity that would normally skew the final score in favor of the beneficiary. “We played well in the [Hudson] circle offensively,” said Silver, “but the play in the middle of the field wasn’t our best. There’s always room for improvement.”
Before the game, Bromfield’s players warmed up wearing pink shirts in support of a Bromfield Cares drive to raise money for the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, a cancer support center on Bolton Road. Afterwards, players circulated among parents and visitors, collecting donations.
The girls Tuesday game against Narragansett Regional High School was canceled due to rain; their upcoming home game against Littleton High School was set to start at 4 p.m. Wednesday, weather permitting.
