Masuk girls field hockey took on Simsbury yesterday, September 23 at Benedict Stadium. Although a close game, the Masuk panthers were able to push through and pull out a 4-3 win, bringing their record to 6-1.
The first quarter started off slow for the Masuk panthers as Simsbury immediately took possession of the ball and got a corner. However, Masuk’s defensive players were able to hold out with big stops all around from junior goalie Val Vilca, junior Sophie Clark, senior Mia Alderman and sophomore Ava Moretti. The ability to stand against this well matched Simsbury team highlighted the speed, adaptability and skill of the Masuk defense.
Moretti comments, “I think our team really came together and filled in the cracks of what we’ve been missing, especially on defense. I feel like we had each other’s backs, we were always backing each other up and we had really good spacing.”
Despite the tough efforts of the Panthers defense and offense, Simsbury was the first to score. The back and forth efforts of the two teams continued, as Simsbury defense also put up a fight, stopping many of the panthers’ long, strong hits, keeping the score at 1-0 until the third quarter. Yet the Masuk offense kept pushing. With quick, small passes up the field, lots of communication and much hustle, Masuk was able to score their first goal. Senior captain Molly Halliday traveled down the field past many Simsbury defenders, passing to senior captain Ella Bunovsky. Bunovksy was then able to get the ball to fellow senior captain Amelia Logan, who scored the teams first goal with three minutes left in the third quarter.
With such a tight game throughout all quarters, the camaraderie, determination and teamwork of the team was what kept the Panthers pushing forward. Put perfectly by Clark, “I think at the beginning, coming into it, we didn’t know how good they were and we kinda had to adjust. But then once we did, we kept our mind to it and it was just hustle, hustle, hustle. It just tells us our team is really hard working and I feel like we all like each other and we mesh.”
The fourth quarter proved to be the turning point for both teams with Masuk coming out stronger than ever. Within the first minute of the quarter, junior Emma Cusa scored Masuk’s second goal with an assist from Halliday. Simsbury’s offense matched the goal immediately, tying the score yet again 2-2. Even so, that did not stop the panthers from fighting back. With five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Masuk had the opportunity of a corner. Halliday drove the ball right into the circle and was then tipped into the goal by Cusa, her second of the night, bringing the score to 3-2. Just when a Masuk win felt guaranteed, Simsbury received a corner with 36 seconds left. Despite the efforts of defense to stop the ball from going in, Simsbury scored with just 11 seconds left in the fourth.
With only 11 seconds to go, Halliday started with the ball at the 50. With an impressive 15 yard lift to Logan, she did what the other team said to be “impossible.” With only a few seconds left to make it in, Logan made a heroic reverse shot, winning Masuk the extremely close and challenging game.
Goalie Vilca comments, “Oh my god I almost peed, I did not think it was possible. I saw they scored, they just finished scoring, and then I was like ‘nope, that’s it we’re going into overtime’…no! No overtime!”
This game demonstrated the hustle, drive and determination of the Mausk Girl’s Field Hockey team. It exhibited a team that never stopped fighting, even until the very last second. Head Coach Kathleen Foley expresses just how proud she is of her team: “I could not be happier with how the game went. The girls kept their heads and spirits up, they supported each other constantly throughout the whole game and they worked together. They gave each other pointers, making strategies. When things weren’t working, they kept trying, and tried other plays until they finally got it. The whole time they knew they were in control of this game, and it showed especially in the last 11 seconds when they immediately came out and scored the game winning goal at the buzzer.”
Foley continues, “This game is a good representation of what we’ll see at states. I felt like it was a state’s playoff game. The team that we played has an extremely big program, and a fantastic feeder team. Things where Monroe is lacking, and still developing. So, for us to come out and be competitive against a school that has such a focus on field hockey, speaks volumes to how this team has progressed through the years. I think it just shows us that we are going to be very competitive in the postseason.”
The girls play Weston away on Wednesday the 28th and Brookfield at home for their cancer night game on the 30th. Be sure to pop out and come support!
Masuk Free Press 