The Falcon field hockey team went into its Nov. 1 game at Presentation knowing a CCS bid was at stake. After tying 2-2 in regulation and neither team scoring a goal in two overtimes, they left the field with the closest possible loss: allowing Presentation one penalty shot while scoring none.
The loss was a tough pill to swallow for the team, but coach Rajneesh Saini and team leaders managed to put some perspective on an overall positive season, one that they finished with 8-4-1 record.
“The game was really hard because we knew we were on the same level as the other team, so losing in a shootout kind of put salt in the wound. We knew it could have been us in that position, but that’s how it goes sometimes,” said sophomore Evelyn Williams, who scored one of the two Falcon goals in the Presentation game.
Players said they ended their season on a positive note with significant improvement from the previous season. When the team took on Fremont just two days before facing Presentation, the game ended in a 0-0 tie. But the highlight of the night came earlier when treasured seniors Sydney Riera and Maggie Huesby were celebrated by the team.
“[The team] had to improve really quickly and work together,” Williams said. “[Our coach] always seemed to know what we need to fix and has really specific ways to work on those things. Because of that, we’ve all gotten better technically and we’re all in much better condition.”
Additionally, Williams stressed the importance of Huesby and Riera’s leadership as senior captions, pushing the team forward through every obstacle.
“Sydney and Maggie have always been such reliable defenders but also just really impressive athletes. I always feel confident about our chances knowing they’re supporting us in the back,” Williams said. “They’re great captains because they always seem to know what to do in the moment. They lead by example and I’ve learned so much from them in the past two years, so I’m really sad to see them go.”
Although the team was disappointed with the result of their final game, they were happy to celebrate the seniors’ outstanding skill and guidance to underclassmen as the whole group improved enormously throughout the season.
“Over the season, the team as a whole has grown so close which in turn made us play so much more cohesively, but the freshman and sophomores have taken such critical roles and stepped up to the challenge of playing at the varsity level and doing it so well,” Riera said. “I am going to miss the girls so much and the memories that we have made together will stay with me forever.”
