The Camp Turf Field saw some thrilling field hockey action today with a 4-0 victory over Deerfield. The JV team carried the momentum from the varsity’s nerve-wracking overtime tie into their contest and showcased the best of Taft field hockey. Emily Riccardi recorded four saves for the shutout and led the way for the team’s victory over the Green Doors. Taft got on the board early with a quick shot from Eva Witkowski off of a heap of sticks in front of the cage. Witkowski, a midfielder, played an excellent game both in the transitional zone and in the circle. Her play was matched by Callia Ferraris, Andie Wardell, and Abby Hawkins who were relentless in their collection of the ball in order to funnel it back to the forward line. Maddy Meister, Lulu Bradley, Sadie Pollack, Julia Kunzelmann, and Anna Wice aggressively advanced the ball deploying smart shots when the opportunity presented itself. All of this action wore on the Deerfield defense and at the 16:45 mark Taft scored their second goal, a precise backhand sweep off the stick of Martha Lohuis from a broken corner. Lohuis beat the goalie stick side having caught the defense off balance. This corner, one of eleven for the game, presented a variety of scoring opportunities. Up 2-0 the Rhinos were aware that they had distanced themselves from their opponent but that the game was far from over. Defenders Mary Hayes, Greta Cole, Katie Salnikoff, and Brooke Marx systematically tracked the ball each and every time it crossed over the defensive 25-yard line holding Deerfield to just two corners. Marx made several 50-yard sprints with the ball to carry it safely into the offensive zone. One such run put the ball on the stick of Lulu Brauer who then passed it to Ferraris who beat the goalie non-stick side. With a 3-0 lead at the half in front of a large crowd of families and friends, the Rhinos reassured one another and recommitted to the game plan. Going into the second half, the team’s fitness came into play as Deerfield continued to push towards the goal. Sophia Sheumack, Sadie Pollack, May Cassidy, and Lauren Villanueva forcefully controlled possession of the ball. Cassidy had a beautiful give and go series with Pollack to move the ball from the 50 yard line into scoring position. This type of fluid ball movement and field vision speaks volumes about the quality play by this team. Taft’s final goal came at the 14:36 mark in the second half an excellent pass from Wardell to Sheumack who converted with a streaking shot past the keeper. Taft ran out the final minutes of the game with three more offensive corners that yielded several shots onto the pads of the Deerfield keeper. Under the dramatic fall skies, the Rhinos captured a satisfying win on Parents’ Day. The team travels to Ethel Walker on Wednesday for what should be an exciting match up. Go Big Red!