After a long season of hard-fought battles, unforgettable goals, and incredible saves, the girls field hockey team’s season is coming to a close. With a 3–8–1 league record, the team is currently ranked seventh in the De Anza League.

The Eagles started their season off with five consecutive losses, a streak ending with a victory over the Palo Alto Vikings. One season highlight during the rough start was the Leigh Tournament at Leigh High School. 

“It was the beginning of the season, and we were really getting to know everyone better,” junior Maya Dutta said. “It was really helpful as a team just to hang out all day, and it was a much more relaxed environment than the actual season.”

Despite the losses, the season saw the team’s spacing and transition from defense to offense improve. Captain senior Erica Wilson highlighted the team’s defense but pointed to finishing as an area of growth for the future.

“One of our team’s strengths this year is our strong defense, but we really want to improve on scoring more goals,” Erica said. “We can bring the ball up to the circle a lot of the time, but we rarely follow through.”

“The defense right now is giving us the strength to play less experienced players up ahead as they’re learning and growing,” coach Mary Donahue said. “It is just so solid, and it gives us stability in the back, so they can really go forward in front.”

The season also featured standout performances from Maya, who has been a part of varsity since her freshman year.

“This season, I’ve been more creative, and I’ve tried new things, especially with my free hits,” Maya said. “I’ve also been consistent with playing defensively but offensively and interacting with the midfielders a lot more.”

The players and coaches agree that the improvement throughout the season has been their biggest accomplishment.

“With new players this year, we had to learn to work together, create chemistry, and use different strategies,” Maya said. 

“The progression of play was really evident in the second half of the season,” Donahue said. “The girls’ hard work is showing, and we must have that rhythm now that we’re going into a CCS tournament. It’s just way more consistent, way more effective, they look like they know what they’re doing on the field, and there’s just way more thought behind the play.”

The Eagles beat Presentation High School on Tuesday, October 29, and faced Valley Christian High School on Thursday, October 31.