Field hockey prevailed against Milton 3-0 in a confidently played, aggressive battle Wednesday, Sept. 25, at home.
“We definitely came off a high from beating Needham, so we went into the game really strong,” said senior Maddie Ryan, a captain with senior Macy Goodwin. “I think that we all were really focused and we really stepped it up and realized that losing was no choice.”
Senior Samantha Lao opened the game with a strong start for the Tigers by swiftly scoring off an awarded penalty stroke.
Milton and North were neck in neck in the first quarter, and neither team could convert to the scoreboard.
The Tigers continued their impressive offensive efforts in quarter two, nearly scoring goals on multiple occasions, but the Milton goalkeeper won over the Tigers’ attempts.
“We did a good job at making adjustments to playing on turf that is thicker and slower than what we are used to,” said PEHW teacher Lauren Baugher, the head coach. “Executing our corners and new people stepping up and scoring was really great.”
Milton held strong defense, and the two teams were pushing each other’s limits. As the final seconds of the third quarter ticked away, the Tigers recaptured the momentum from their previous goal, striking with renewed confidence. A smooth shot from junior Sienna Reilly brought the Tigers to a 2-0 lead.
“Our conditioning during practice showed through,” said junior Alexis Blanchfield. “The people that played a lot of minutes were able to keep their stamina up all the way to the end of the game.”
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers stepped up defensively, with senior Isabella Lubbe-Lynch, a goalie, consistently blocking Milton from finding the back of the net. Senior Marina Guzzi scored a hard-fought point for the Tigers, sealing the 3-0 victory.
“We knew that these games were games that we had to win and that they were definitely winnable. I think that we all were really focused and we really stepped it up and realized that losing was no choice,” said Ryan.
The Tigers, 4-1-6, fell to Winchester and Walpole. They will play South Saturday, Oct. 5 away.
