On Sep. 23, the 90º weather and double overtime didn’t stop the field hockey team from winning against Glenbard West, 3-2.On Sep. 23, the 90º weather and double overtime didn’t stop the field hockey team from winning against Glenbard West, 3-2.

Senior Ali Gregorian scored a goal in the last nine minutes, and the team ended with a 1v1, where they were able to secure the win.

Like in the previous game against Glenbard West, the opposing team was the first to score. With nine minutes left, Gregorian pursued the ball to score a goal with sophomore Grace Harris assisting, tieing the game 1-1 and leading the teams into overtime and then double overtime. Nobody scored in either, so the game went to 1v1s where sophomore Amy Griffin and senior captain Jenn Kirby scored to win the game.

Because of the intense heat, staying hydrated was crucial to players to perform their best. “I think my favorite part of the game was during half time when everyone was pumping each other up and really making sure everyone was hydrated. There was so much energy on and off the field,” said senior  captain Sarah Goff.

According to veteran head coach of the team Stephanie Nykaza, Glenbard West is not an easy competitor. When the team previously faced them, they went into double overtime and 1v1s like this game. Nevertheless, Nykaza said that her girls are well conditioned and reminded themselves of that during the second half, finally pulling through during overtime.

Conditioning seemed to pay off during this game. “I think our daily conditioning was a major factor in our win because the other team was not in good enough shape to keep up with us. We practice 1v1 and have a group of girls and a goalie designated to take those,” said Gregorian.

During practices, the team focuses on what they can do to best prepare for their upcoming games. “We set goals pretty consistently based on how we’ve been playing, about what we need to do and what we need to work on,” said Nykaza.

With this game, the team added new components to their practices, including more stick to stick passing, man marking on defense, and working on possession skills.

Goff believes that this helped the team to pull through in this game, even with the unusual September weather. She also said that during the game, she and her teammates weren’t just focused on “playing to stay in the game, but also playing with an attacking mindset.”

Teammates noted that one standout player was another of the four captains, senior Jenn Kirby. Since she broke her finger and had pneumonia, Kirby wasn’t able to take part in practices or games leading up to the game against Glenbard West. Normally she plays high center mid, but because of the pneumonia, she played right forward since it involves less running.

“She really brought intensity to this game and was really supportive on and off the field which is something that really pumps our team up,” Goff said.

Kirby, despite her broken finger and sickness, scored on her 1v1, but also took time to appreciate her teammates. “I loved playing right forward because I got to play with my best friend, Ali, who was in center forward. We work well together because we’ve been playing together since 5th grade soccer. We always know where the other is going to be and push each other.”

Griffin covered Kirby’s normal position of high center mid, and Kirby noted that she and sophomore Evie Lake plugged up the center, which is where two of Glenbard West’s best players are.

Another player that stood out to Nykaza was junior goalie Emma Lauber, who made many saves throughout the game.

“I was proud. It was the first time I heard the crowds really cheering for her. It was exciting because goalies don’t get a lot of recognition. It’s always the people that score the goals that everyone talks about, but it’s the goalies and defense that really hold everyone in the game,” said Nykaza.

Lauber not only played for herself and her team, but for a bigger cause.

“Before I go out onto the field, Lucy Murray always gives me the best pump up talks. Since today was our Bright Pink Cancer Awareness game, she told me to fight for anyone that I knew that had cancer. My grandfather passed away in June from cancer, and I knew I had to play for him.”

Despite her achievements, she admitted that wearing all of the heavy goalie equipment “was like an oven” because of the heat and all the equipment is black.

One thing that the team has struggled with recently is “transferring the passion from their heads onto the field,” said Goff. However, she believes that during this game everyone’s heart and passion really came into play, and that was evident in the final score.