The 7-0 win against Rockville was the start of the 2023 field hockey season, but the scrimmages on Aug. 21 against Springbrook, Aug. 29 against Sidwell Friends, and Aug. 31 against Holton Arms are what prepared the Patriots for their shutout win led by senior captains Naomi Esteroitz, Hayley Cooper, Katelyn Ahn, Irene Kim, Madison Moorhead, Taylor Auth, Rhea Chelar and Divya Subramanian.
Despite the lightning that ended the game early at the end of the third quarter, the team managed to score seven goals with UPenn commit Esterowitz scoring three of them. Goals by junior Jenna Goldberg, Cooper, Ahn, and junior Nikki Cohen played a large role in their win Friday afternoon. Key plays of the game included a reverse chip to the top net in the second quarter by Esterowitz, scoring the second goal of the game. Varsity coach Terry Dalle-Tezze highlighted stand-out players Ahn, Paige Euler, and Chelar for their ability to adjust to unfamiliar positions and excel on the field.
A critical part of their win was their stick skills and teamwork that allowed them to connect passes for successful finishes. The team has improved since their first scrimmage this season against Springbrook, but “the Rockville game was a great start to the season,” Cohen said.
Their practice of fundamental skills and fitness is an element of their success. In the final minutes of the first half, Cohen received the ball and passed it to Goldberg in the circle where she finished the 1v1 play against the goalie, making the score 3-0. This particular play demonstrated the importance of the team’s connections to make vital combination plays.
Last year the season ended with a heartbreaking regional championship game against Churchill, and this year the team considers their game against the Bulldogs on Oct. 5 to be one of their most difficult challenges of the season. Our school is entering division 3A for sports, and the team anticipates their most crucial games will be against Whitman on Sept. 18 and BCC on Sept. 29. They hope to improve on their 11-3 record from the previous year by, “hopefully [going] to states since we’re in 3A this year,” sophomore Nicole Subiela said.
Dalle-Tezze’s first year coaching led him to a winning record and an appearance at a regional championship game but his hopes for his second season are for the girls to grow closer together, stay humble, and trust each other throughout the highs and lows of the season. With eight senior captains, Dalle-Tezze allows them to be the leaders and the “coaches” of the team so they can, “bring out the best of each other and all other players,” Dalle-Tezze said.
As each player grows and improves as a member of the team, Dalle-Tezze helps to support them as much as he can. “He is not only a great coach but a great person. He has helped me improve my game and bring up my confidence,” Cohen said.
Last Friday night the junior varsity game was canceled due to lightning but the team plans to come out even stronger than before for their first game against Whitman on Sept. 18 and would benefit from student support.
