Varsity Field Hockey vs Westminster School

Score/Result: 2-2 T

Taft 2

Westminster 2

We were really excited to take on the talented Westminster team, coached by a former Taft player and one of the best goalkeepers the team has had.  We got to play them on a Friday night on their new turf under the lights.  While we played fairly well in the first half it was not our usual game.  We were not connecting on our passing and we were not supporting each other well.  We did have a number of very good opportunities to score in the first half including an incredible shot by Rachael Alberti on a breakaway that she created.  Her shot was hit hard and high and just ricocheted off the post.  Some on the field began to celebrate because it sure looked like it was heading to the back of the net.  Despite some valiant efforts by the forwards, we could not find the back on the net in the first half.  We also were unable to earn many corners at all. 

Westminster scored first off a corner with 19 minutes left in the first half.  We went into the half down by one, but Westy went up by 2 five minutes into the first half.  For the next 25 minutes we dominated much of the game.  Our passing was crisp and we were connected.  We moved to every ball and played a smarter game.  We worked really hard to dig ourselves out of the two goal hole.  Our first goal came with 15 minutes left in the game.  Caroline Queally took a free hit into the circle.  She carried the ball right and deceptively got the ball into the circle on a through ball to Lauren who immediately passed the ball left to Rachael who was right in front of an open net and she was able to hit it in before the keeper could get there.  So we knew were we back in it.  The girl’s varsity soccer team finished their game with a well earned 1-1 tie and came over the cheer us on.  Their cheering and energy clearly had an awesome effect on us and we continued to press until the tying goal came with 3:15 left in the game.  We held on to the force the OT. 

The play was back and forth in the OT.  Mary DuBois and Rachael played attack, Caroline and Lauren Drakeley controlled the midfield and Maggie O’Neil and Audrey Quirk were back on defense.  Westminster earned a couple corners in a row and could have sealed the game with those opportunities, but our defense kept them from scoring.  Other than that neither team had a lot of scoring opportunities except for the scariest moment of the game when Mary raced to get a loose ball low in the circle.  It’s a bit of a blur as to what happened, but she ran straight into the side of the goal and crumpled to the ground.  Thank goodness she just had the wind knocked out of her, and she walked off the field shaken but OK.  Her back is in pain today, but hopefully she’ll be better with some rest.  It was an incredible display of desire and determination.  So while we would have loved an OT victory, it was nonetheless very sweet to come back from being down 2-0 to a talented Westminster team. 

Caroline Queally played flat out today and was just fantastic.  Amy Feda made some incredible saves including a series of about 4-5 in a row under huge pressure and she made sure not to trap the ball, which meant she did not face a stroke.  It was an incredibly impressive effort.  We got a bit beat up in this effort, but played quite well as a team in the second half.