Field hockey: Intensity key to meeting goals

Heading into the remainder of the season and now in second place in the De Anza League with an overall record of 9-3-2, the field hockey team is looking to keep up its intensity as it works toward the goal of returning to CCS.

“Now that the halfway mark of our season has passed, the team is especially motivated to do well in these next few games,” senior forward Kelsey Kinoshita said. “For more than half the team, it's our last season of high school hockey.”

Besides just preparing for the postseason, the team anticipates its rematch against Los Gatos, the top team in the league.

The Falcons fell to the Wildcats 4-1 on Oct. 5. The team kept calm under the fast pace and high pressure from LG but went down 2-0 late in the first half. Saratoga responded with a goal from Bossi in the second half, but LG was able to score twice more before the game ended.

“I think we were upset that we lost only because we worked really hard, and it wasn’t like they dominated or anything like that — we had possession, they had possession,” Miller said. “It was a really fair game, and I just think we’re a little bit upset that we lost and didn’t execute our opportunities.”

The girls remain hopeful for the last league game of the season against Los Gatos on Oct 28.

“LG is the one team that we all have wanted to beat for our past four years,” Miller said. “It will be the last time to prove ourselves and the last time to break their streak.”

Since their LG game, the Falcons have rebounded strongly.

The team’s determination showed in its home game against Homestead on Oct. 14, when it won 5-0. Three goals were scored by senior forward Tina Miller, while senior midfielder Hannah Leonard and junior forward Kate Bossi picked up a goal each.

On Oct. 12, the team beat Cupertino 1-0. Miller scored the sole goal of the game early in the first half. Though the Falcons did not consistently perform the possession-style field hockey they would like to, they were glad to escape with a win.

Against Los Altos on Oct. 7, the team won 2-0. Though they were unable to finish some opportunities on goal, the Falcons controlled the game against the Eagles. They went up early in the first half when senior midfielder Emily Chen scored off a penalty stroke, which was given after a Los Altos player’s foot stopped a potential goal. In the second half Bossi finished off the top of the circle with assists from Chen and senior defender Rachel Davey.

On Sept. 30, the team beat Monta Vista 3-1. In the first half SHS was up 2-0 with goals scored by Miller and senior defender Maxine Parr. The Falcons widened their lead with a second half goal from junior forward Valerie Yang, and although Monta Vista responded with a goal, the Falcons held onto the lead and won the game.

The team took on the Lynbrook Vikings on Sept. 28, winning 5-0. Miller put away four goals off assists from Parr and Davey. Senior defender Sophie Parr assisted Yang, who tipped in Parr’s hit on a short corner play.

“Right now, our intensity is on the uprise, and we are peaking as we are headed to CCS,” Bossi said. “We are all mentally checked in and ready to face Los Gatos again. We simply need to keep our spirits up and get better every game in order to go places.”

Due to printing deadlines, the Falcon could not cover the away game at Lynbrook on Oct. 21.