After three losses in Kansas City over the weekend, the varsity field hockey team returned with valuable experience and determination to improve.
The Tigers and the Pembroke Hill Raiders clashed for the first time in nine years, with the first match on Saturday ending in a 3-0 loss for EHS and the rematch on Sunday wrapping up closer at 3-1.
A few hours after facing Pembroke on Sunday, the team also played Notre Dame de Sion and lost 3-0.
According to head field hockey coach Kristina Johnson, the lack of field hockey teams in the area means that the Tigers get to go on trips to cities like Kansas City and Chicago to face other schools in the Midwest State Tournament.
Even though these games don’t count toward the main Illinois record, emotions were present before and after playing.
“When I first heard that we were going on a trip to Kansas City, I was excited because I knew it would be an amazing opportunity to improve in field hockey and a great experience with my friends,” sophomore Nicole Slattery said.
At the games, the Tigers kept their energy going and tried their best against Pembroke and Notre Dame.
“It was tough because the teams that we were playing were around our team’s skill level, so we knew we had to work hard together to play our best,” Slattery said.
After their losses, the team was able to reflect on how they played so they could learn from their mistakes.
According to team captain and senior Hannah Feather, one difficulty the team experienced was players being slow to act in the shooting circle.
“I think we could definitely work on taking quicker shots in the circle and not playing around with [the ball] as much because we have a lot of girls with great shots, and I think we should definitely utilize them,” Feather said.
Another issue was a lack of communication, which led to missed scoring opportunities.
“Girls would occasionally get stuck with the ball and be defeated by an opponent because nobody else was calling for a pass,” Slattery said. “In field hockey, communication is highly essential in order for the team to succeed. When no one communicates, things can get confusing and messy very quickly.”
However, the team had plenty of good moments on the field, according to Feather. The team’s hustle up and down the turf, the defense’s constant readiness and the score by senior Jaylinn Bell were all highlights to her.
Some of the moments the players remember most fondly happened when they didn’t have sticks in their hands.
“I was able to bond with my teammates over the four hours it took to get there and back home again,” Slattery said. “I also loved that our coaches allowed us to go to an outlet mall and shop for ourselves.”
When looking back on their time in Kansas City, the field hockey team could see their highs and lows but is choosing to focus on what will make them a stronger team moving forward.
“I’m absolutely OK with the outcome of the trip,” Feather said. “Even though we didn’t win, we learned so much from it. We got a whole lot closer as a team and got a chance to learn our strengths and weaknesses.”