Spartans Field Hockey Improves to 5-0 on the season

By Abby LePage ’23

East Longmeadow girls field hockey has a fire lit under them following their MIAA state tournament loss to Martha’s Vineyard last season.

Wednesday night’s game against the Mohawk Valley Trailblazers perfectly captured all of the best attributes this year’s team possesses. Seven different players from all four grade levels made contributions on the scoreboard, featuring senior captain Sophie Sares’ four goals.

The Spartans’ season-high 11 goals scored in a single game puts them at 44 goals scored in just five games, giving them an average of 8.8 goals scored per game.

As for goals against, goalkeeper Natalie Merrick has only allowed two goals on the season. Merrick faced zero shots in this blowout game.

Five of the goals scored in this game came within the first nine minutes, eliciting an early goalkeeper change for the Trailblazers. 

Adding on to their offensive effectiveness, the Spartans generated six corners throughout the game. Besides Sares, sophomore midfielder Emma Gosselin also had multiple goals in this game with two.

Following the Spartans six-goal first half, the team’s offensive strategy became more pass-centered, leading to the Spartans’ first goal of the second half to be a beautiful feed from senior captain Molly Haller to her co-captain Sophie Sares for her third goal of the night.

Another memorable goal in the second half came from sophomore forward/midfielder Tess Denault, who tipped in a feed from outside the striking circle. 

It’s clear so far into this season that the Spartans’ play has been dominant, as anticipated by head coach Dan Reid.

“We lost four really good seniors, but we knew we were going to be a strong team,” Reid said. “We’ve been having a really good year, led once again by our leadership in Sophie Sares and Molly Haller.” 

Speaking more on the losses of last year’s seniors, Sares knew going into this season she had her work cut out for her.

“I knew I really had to lead this team,” Sares said. “Molly as well. We both knew the workload we had.” 

The 2021 First Team All-Western Mass forward Sophie Sares, despite her individual and overall team performance last year being positive, believes they should leave the past behind.

“I feel like we had to let go of everything from last year and just go full force into this season,” Sares said. “I definitely had a lot of confidence going into this season. But, at the same time, I still went into it like it was a brand new clean slate.”

The 2021 Spartans field hockey team didn’t get the job done at states, but both Reid and Sares are confident that, by using their frustration as motivation from last year, they can get another shot at the state title.

“We understood it was a tough loss for us, but most of our players have returned,” Reid said. 

“It was a heartbreaker because we had been playing so hard in that game, so it just showed us how close we were to getting farther in the playoffs,” Sares said. “If we had hustled a little bit more in that game, if we had shot that shot quicker, things like that have really impacted the way we’re playing this year.”

The key to this year that has carried over from last year is resolving all issues on the team as soon as possible.

“It’s a very good environment,” Sares said. ” If there’s drama, we squash it immediately.”

Sares and Haller have seamlessly filled last year’s senior’s shoes, being described by Reid as having “progressed on and off the field; just true leaders.”

Adding onto his praise for his captains, Reid knew before the season started that his two senior captains were ready to lead.

“They do most of their talking through how hard they work and play. You can see it in how the rest of the team responds.”

Both captains are aware of their influential positions on their team, and they use it to their advantage.

” If someone doesn’t work hard or pay attention, Molly and I talk to them first,” Sares said. “Usually when we talk to them, their level of play picks up.”

The Spartans look to continue their winning streak Friday night at Southwick Regional.