Falcons hope to improve record as the season comes to a close

The field hockey team lost 3-1 to Cupertino on Oct. 22, making its overall record 1-7-2.

Freshman forward Tina Miller scored in the second half, but the the lone goal was not enough for a win. 

“We put in a lot of effort, but were unable to get [the ball] in the goal,” co-captain and defensive player Werner said.

The Falcons experienced a tough setback early in the game, when senior midfielder Ingrid Hong was injured and was unable to play for the rest of the game. Her injury occurred when a player on the opposing team lifted the ball into the air, and it hit her middle finger, causing it to be fractured in two places.

Before the Cupertino game, the team lost 2-1 to Homestead on Oct. 17.

“We went in to the game thinking that we could easily defeat [Homestead] and that they wouldn’t be a hard team to play,” sophomore and midfielder Erin Norris said. “We were not trying as hard and did not want the ball, until the second half.”

The team’s efforts in the second half were helped when senior Jennie Werner scored a goal during a short corner. Still, Saratoga was not able to catch up. Werner said that given more time in the second half, the team may have been able to pull through.

Even though the team would have liked to have won more games, players said they have been playing better in recent games and feeling better about each other.

“For a long time our main goal was just to bond as a team and learn how to work with each other because our dynamic was really off,” junior defensive player Natalie Lemire said. “At this point I think we are finally at a good place with all of that so I guess we just need to keep the positive energy going.”

According to Norris, the team started the season struggling with only 14 players, so varsity coach Lifon Hyunh moved two freshmen up to varsity to solve this problem. The newest members on the team are Tina Miller, forward, and Hannah Leonard, midfielder.

The team hopes that these new members will help improve their record. With the season coming to the end, the team’s chances of making CCS are remote. 

“It is unlikely, but I think if we keep playing hard and win more games, then we can make [CCS],” Norris said.