Meghan Manley ’16: As EA/AIS Day approaches on November 7th, capturing a win for EA Girls Field Hockey certainly seems within reach. To say the least, the EA Girl’s Field Hockey team has made their 2014 season one to remember. As of October 7th, EA Girl’s Field Hockey had a record of 15-0, outscored their opponents 84-3 with 12 of the 15 wins recorded as shut outs. The girls were also ranked 6th best team in the nation by Max Field Hockey. As of October 17th, EA Girl’s Field Hockey was ranked as 3rd in the nation n ,n going into their game against #1 ranked Eastern High school, they fell 8-0 in their first loss of the season. Courtnie Williamson ’16 discussed the team’s drive and the contributing factors that add to the team’s success, stating, “The strength of our team this season has exceeded our expectations, but we aren’t satisfied, and everyday we work hard to get better. I think that the chemistry on the team helps to bring us closer and that is what distinguishes ‘Eockey’ from other teams. Despite the loss against Eastern High School, EA Girl’s Field Hockey remains undefeated in league play, and they aren’t letting up anytime soon. With wins inside and outside of the inter-ac, EAFH isn’t going down without a fight. Maddie Bacskai ’16 noted the team’s success when she stated, “Our season so far has been a blast! Our senior leaders are so dedicated, which has led to a lot of our success.” The team toppled over rival Notre Dame with both a 4-1 win and a 4-0 win. Additionally, the 6-2 win against Agnes Irwin at home on October 14th proved EAFH has the upper hand.
Photo Courtesy of Maggie Mengel ’17
Nevertheless, Agnes Irwin’s squad is expected to put up a fight this year. The log-standing rivalry fuels their team and makes AIS hungry for victory. Christy Palazzese ’15, co-captain of EA’s team, expects a good game. “Well with the rivalry, the game is always competitive and the atmosphere has a lot of energy. We played them once already this year and won, but we know we have to play even stronger on AIS day.” A team with speed and a strong offense, AIS poses a threat not only for the Inter-Ac, but also for the coveted banner. Ali Rushton ’15, EA’s other captain, adds, “The game is going to determine the Inter-Ac champion. We are all so excited to play AIS and bring back the banner.”
Memories of last year’s EA/AIS Day still haunt the team’s players. After a close match during regulation, EA and AIS went into overtime and the game ended in a tie. Rushton commented, “Last year we tied Agnes Irwin in a very competitive game. We went into overtime and we just could not finish.” With the fate of the banner dependent on that game, EA fell to AIS. Not only did EA lose the banner to AIS, but EAFH lost the Inter-AC title as a result of the tie to AIS.
Now EAFH is out for blood this year. Although the field may be different and AIS will have lots of energy playing at home, EAFH will not be fazed. Rushton stated, “The atmosphere is going to be very different, but I don’t think it’s going to change the game or the way we play. We got this.”