The 3-1 varsity field hockey  season started with scrimmages against the National Cathedral School on Aug. 24 and against Holton-Arms School on Sept. 1. The team is led by coach Terry DalleTezze as well as captains Alli Cheng, Jordana Dinallo, Lauren Povich and Mandy Schoen.

Toward the end of the summer, DalleTezze volunteered to coach as the former coach had stepped down in May. While he has never coached field hockey here before, he said he is excited for this new opportunity. “I think it’s going to be an exciting season. I think we’re very underrated and we have a very good team. The girls are all playing very well together, there’s a lot of chemistry, they’re working hard and they’re very excited about the rest of the season,” DalleTezze said.

After being out for the fall 2020 and 2021 seasons due to being diagnosed with Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), Dinallo has been cleared to go back onto the field. “Field hockey for me was the biggest thing that devastated me when I first was out, so getting back into it was my finishing point. It’s surreal that I’m able to play again.”

The season officially started on Sept. 6 at Watkins Mill. The Patriots swiftly took a win with a final score of 7-0. Junior Irene Kim, junior Naomi Esterowitz, senior Rae Weinstein, senior Gillian Berman, freshman Nicole Subiela, junior Katelyn Ahn and senior Abby Dexter each scored a goal, contributing to the team’s win. 

The girls brought their talent back home on Sept. 8 for a 6-0 victory against Rockville. Dinallo, Kim and sophomore Josie Spicer each scored one goal. Esterowitz, a University of Pennsylvania field hockey commit, got a hat trick, scoring three goals. 

On Sept. 14, the team played an intense game against Montgomery Blair. After Blair scored during the first quarter, the Patriots tied up the game in the third quarter. With no time left in regulation, the Patriots got a corner. Five Blair defenders, including the goalkeeper, went into the goal, while the rest of the team were behind the center line. Within five seconds of gameplay, Esterowitz took the game-winning shot. “I was super nervous because I just wanted to score but I was worried I would hit it too high or not make contact well but in the end it all worked out,” Esterowitz said

While the team puts work and effort into every game, the game against Blair required more than usual. “The first two were less competitive while the third was a stronger, more intense team so it forced us to work harder,” Esterowitz said.

On Sept. 19 the Patriots traveled to Whitman. After a scoreless first quarter, Whitman scored the only goal of the game during the second quarter. The Patriots continued to work hard throughout the rest of the game with goalkeeper Lily Leflore saving 12 shots. Unfortunately for the team, they fell short with a final score of 1-0. 

The next games are both at home, with the team playing against Richard Montgomery on Sept 21 and Walter Johnson on Sept. 28.