On Thursday, November 5, the girls field hockey team took on the Saratoga Falcons, currently ranked second in SCVAL, in the final match that would determine whether the team could reach CCS playoffs. Despite strong performance from many players, Saratoga won the match 2-0.

The game was also the occasion of Senior Night, dedicated to honoring the graduating players on the team through decorations, speeches and gifts. 11 players were honored at the event, including seniors Adera Ahern, Nusly Zuniga and Angelica D’Augusta, who were the captains for the game.

“The underclassmen really outdid themselves and so did the moms,” Angelica said. “I know we all felt super honored and loved by our team… It’ll be tough for next year’s underclassmen to outdo this year’s senior night.”

In the game, Saratoga gained an early advantage in the first half, and, despite a fairly even second half, Los Altos failed to even the score. One particular challenge was Saratoga’s style of play, which focuses on spreading the field and defense out with passing.

“They’ve been trained to pass around us so they don’t lose their energy while running around,” Angelica said. “We’re not really used to that [because] they’re the only team that does it.”

Despite the score, Los Altos kept its morale up throughout the game and fought to the end.

“Once they scored their first goal… we were able to stay calm and work even harder,” Angelica said. “Every girl worked hard and tried to support one another in this game.”