Field hockey lost a hard-fought game 0-4 against the Wellesley Raiders on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at home. Displaying perseverance in the face of struggle, the Tigers returned to the second half with renewed motivation and determination.
PEHW teacher Lauren Baugher said, “The girls did a really good job during the game. We tried a different formation for the first half and they made the adjustments they needed to make.”
For most of the first quarter, the Tigers kept the score 0-0, but Wellesley consistently maintained possession. North experienced difficulty taking shots on net but relentlessly worked hard to defend.
With 4 minutes left in the quarter, the Raiders overtook the Tigers’ defense and scored two back-to-back goals within a minute of each other.
The Tigers held their heads high, with senior Roxy Feldman and sophomore Willa Hanson connecting to make complex passing combinations down the field.
Hanson said, “We’re working on communication on the field, and getting used to how we each play together.”
According to senior Abbie Seeley, a captain along with Alexis Blanchfield, junior goalie Juliette Winston had an impressive performance with seven saves in the second quarter alone in the face of the Raiders’ six offensive corners. Despite Winston’s efforts, though, the Raiders managed to break through the Tigers’ defense and found the back of the net once more.
Once halftime concluded, the Tigers returned with a renewed sense of persistence. Seeley and sophomores Ashlyn Baugher and Sophie Chapman held up North’s defense with outstanding effort. They worked hard to clear the ball out and protect the net.
The Tigers kept the Raiders scoreless in the third quarter, keeping the ball in their possession more than they had in the first half.
Blanchfield in particular had outstanding plays, according to Seeley. She said that Blanchfield stole the ball numerous times and worked to find teammates to carry out intricate passing combinations.
Seeley said, “It was great to see everything we worked on during practice come together on the field.”
Towards the end of the game, the Tigers had two shots on goal, and worked hard to find opportunities in order to break through Wellesley’s defense.
According to Baugher, the Tigers have one of the hardest schedules in the state, but their team has continued to improve since the start of the season.
According to Seeley, North focused on stringing more passes together in order to achieve more shots on goal.
Unfortunately, the Raiders broke through North’s defensive wall with three minutes left in the game, sneakily weaving through North’s players.
“I was proud of the way they played and the effort they showed,” said Baugher, “they have shown grit, resiliency, toughness and unity throughout the whole season.”
The team will face Weymouth on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
