Bruno contributes to girls’ field hockey team

As the year begins, the field hockey team is counting on senior Allison Bruno for both her skill and leadership. Starting in eighth grade, Bruno said she expected nothing more from the sport than to have a little fun and spend time with her friends. She is now going into her fifth year in the sport.

The orange ball flies around the field. Girls in skirts and goggles rush past one another as each one vies for the ball. For a second nothing can be seen but the flurry of sticks, sweat and the backs of the girls. And then, out of the mob appears a dark-haired girl of 17, manipulating the ball as effortlessly as if there were an invisible string attaching the ball to her field hockey stick.

As the year begins, the field hockey team is counting on senior Allison Bruno for both her skill and leadership.

Starting in eighth grade, Bruno said she expected nothing more from the sport than to have a little fun and spend time with her friends. She is now going into her fifth year in the sport.

“I love getting to spend so much time with a great group of people,” Bruno said. “There are 15 seniors or something close to that, and we’ve all been playing together for years.”

Playing outside midfielder, Bruno said her favorite aspect of her position is “getting to make overlapping runs down the line with the forward and being able to drop back to let the defender go up.”

Varsity coach Lifon “Leaf” Huynh said she loves the fact that Bruno is “coachable.”

“She is a solid player at every practice and game,” Huynh said. “To help her improve as a player, I give her tips during practices and games.”

Sophomore Meeta Marathe, who plays midfielder, said being teammates with Bruno inspires her.

“She brings a positive attitude to every practice and game she’s in,” Marathe said. “She always seems really excited to be there.”

Marathe said she thinks Bruno’s best skills are her passing and communicating.

“I think this season we will be tested as a team, because we’ll be playing against the big leagues,” Huynh said.

Bruno said she is most looking forward to CCS this season.

“We beat Los Gatos and Saint Francis in league last year, so it would be great to beat them again,” Bruno said. “We’re also a good matchup for Mitty.”

The Falcons beat Leland at home, 1-0 on 9/18.