Girls’ field hockey fell to Brookline 2-1 Tuesday, Oct. 20, at home, in a competitive, highly-defensive game.
North dominated possession throughout the game, but were unable to take advantage of their opportunities. “The main issue is that we need more accuracy in our shots,” said head coach Kristy Moore. “We have done a good job increasing the volume of our shots, and in fact, we are always outshooting our opponents, but we leave the field down two goals.”
In the first quarter, both teams had multiple chances and fastbreak opportunities. After one defensive miscommunication, Brookline scored early on an easy goal, giving them a 1-0 lead. However, junior Camille Kouroriez answered back with a goal of her own right as the first quarter buzzer sounded. The quarter ended 1-1.
During the second quarter, Brookline played with aggression and physicality, forcing North to tighten up on defense. Senior Lilly Wood, a captain with seniors Isabella Magre and Mary Williams, and junior Ella Mar, made a few key saves that prevented Brookline from scoring again.
Moore stressed the importance of generating offense after great defense. “When we put on good defense, we have an opportunity to pass out of that strong defense,” said Moore. “This makes our transition from defense to offense more fluid.”
The score was tied 1-1 going into the third quarter. Early on Brookline managed to break through North’s defense with stellar passing and movement, scoring a close ranged goal to take a 2-1 lead. “We need to work on our defensive communication,” said Moore. “Whoever is putting on pressure must communicate that, and whoever is recovering to defense has to do the same.”
In the fourth quarter, North increased its intensity on offense and Brookline desperately tried to hold on to its lead. However, the Tigers were unable to put the ball in the back of the net again, and Brookline held on for the win.
Despite the loss, Moore praised the team’s work ethic and determination throughout the game. She said, “We are a team of fighters, a team of athletes that know how to dig deep. That tenacity drives our desire to win and improve going forward.”
Girls’ field hockey tied Brookline 3-3 in a rematch Saturday, Oct. 25. They will play Needham today Wednesday, Oct. 28 away.
