On Aug. 25th, the Highlander field hockey team hosted the West Springfield Spartans in their season opener, a chance to prove that all the work in the offseason was worth it. McLean finished last season with a record of 4-9, a disappointing feat that the team knew could be better.
“We are all hoping to improve our record,” junior defender Mia Jander said. “We need to step up in practice and hold each other accountable.”
The game started off slow with both sides playing strong defense. A timeout was then called, allowing the highlanders to maintain control of possession. They were able to settle in after the break, earning multiple corners and shots on goal.
“We had really good offense and lots of opportunities to score in the first quarter,” Jander said. “There was great energy from the sideline.”
McLean took advantage and found gaps in the poor defense of the Spartans. Senior forward Karah Johnson found a golden opportunity and scored the only goal for the Highlanders with only seconds left in the first quarter.
The second quarter went back and forth, with neither team being able to put points on the board. In the end, McLean went into the half maintaining their 1-0 lead.
The Spartans re-gained momentum in the third quarter, slowly applying pressure and fixing their defensive errors. McLean set themselves on auto pilot, playing very passive to hold their close lead.
West Springfield carried this momentum with them into the fourth quarter, scoring their first goal on a three-on-one breakaway to tie the game at 1-1.
“During the fourth quarter, there definitely was an attitude shift,” sophomore forward Amalya Monroe said. “We played a bit more scrappy but were still putting in good effort.”
The Spartans found yet another breakaway opportunity that McLean was unable to defend, scoring their second goal in two minutes. McLean had to make a change to their style if they wanted to come back in the closing minutes.
Timeouts were called on both ends as McLean needed to make something happen late. Several substitutions ensued, and the pressure was on. However, with just two minutes left, West Springfield was able to find gaps in the defense and put the final blow on an intense showing. The game ended with West Springfield on top 3-1.
McLean is set to face South Lakes on Aug. 27. The Seahawks will be a big test for the Highlanders, as McLean is hoping to avoid another shaky start to their season.
“We still have a lot to give,” Jander said. “We left that game with a chip on our shoulder and hope to come back stronger for South Lakes.”
