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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSource: Fieldston Varsity Field Hockey Instagram<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Early in the season, when the team first played the 14-time NYSAIS Champions, Rye Country Day School, they suffered a crushing 6-0 defeat. The loss took a huge toll on the team, \u201cWe knew that if we had any plans on winning NYSAIS, that we would have to be able to Defeat Rye Country Day,\u201d said Captain Holly Daykin (Form VI). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nevertheless, the team used the game as motivation and worked harder. Later in the season, they made more history by sweeping Hackley (defeating them twice in the same season) for the first time in 13 years! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Captain Lily Burnside (Form VI), an exceptional goalkeeper, commented on the importance of the Hackley sweep, \u201c Hackley knocked us out of the semi-finals in overtime last year. So, when we played them again at Hackley, although it was not a playoff game, it determined our seeding in the Ivy League and if we could go on to win the Ivy League.\u201d After beating Hackley twice, Fieldston beat Riverdale and Horace Mann, claiming the title of outright Ivy League Champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Burnside continued, \u201cThe rivalry with Hackley goes beyond field hockey. That victory also marked Toth\u2019s 300th win as a coach.\u201d In celebration, Toth took home the game ball. <\/p>\n\n\n Source: Lily Saal<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As the season progressed, the team\u2019s morale and hunger to win the NYSAIS title skyrocketed. They began a 42-day win streak on September 25, beating Chapin right before Homecoming, and continued it through the championship game. They ended their regular season with a triumphant 6-1 win over JFK Catholic High School.<\/p>\n\n\n Source: Fieldston VFH Instagram <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n After a bye-week in the quarterfinal round and a tense rematch with Hackley in the semifinal round, the day arrived. November 6, 2024. The Fieldston Varsity Field Hockey team faced Rye Country Day School at SUNY Purchase. On the line? A NYSAIS Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The game started intensely, with both sides determined to take home the title. Rye struck first with a goal in the second quarter. Fieldston quickly roared back, as Saal scored on a penalty stroke. The teams were deadlocked at 1-1 until Rye scored early in the third quarter. Time began to slip away and Fieldston\u2019s desperation flared. With a few minutes left, Lucia Mastroianni (Form IV) saved the game, and season, as she slipped a ball past Rye\u2019s goalkeeper, tying the game 2-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The game going into overtime was nothing Fieldston hadn\u2019t been through already. They played four overtime games during the season, giving them much-needed experience. After a tough double overtime, it came to shootouts. Burnside, as the goalie, knew that it rested on her shoulders. She said that she wanted to ensure that on every shot, the ball didn\u2019t reach the back of the net. Burnside did her job spectacularly, and the shootouts remained tied at 2-2, with one player left to shoot \u2013 Fieldston\u2019s Sophia Thompson (Form V).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was so nauseous, before taking that one vs one, the fact that it was still tied was comforting and it meant that stakes were not as severe if we were down a point,\u201d said Thompson, reflecting on the moment. \u201cI just took a deep breath and I went for it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her goal cemented it in the history books: Fieldston\u2019s first-ever Field Hockey NYSAIS championship<\/p>\n\n\n Source: Fieldston VFH Instagram<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Captain Vera Koontz, who her teammates call the \u201cVacuum\u201d because of her extraordinary defensive play, reflected on the team\u2019s mentality. \u201cWe four [the captains] have been on this team together since sophomore year,\u201d said Koontz. \u201cWe focused on balance, team dynamics and chemistry because we hadn\u2019t experienced that when we were underclassmen on the team. We knew that if we trained well and put in our all, nothing could stop us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, the team\u2019s season was more than just a series of games \u2013 it was a testament to teamwork, perseverance and the power of collective effort and ambition. From navigating early challenges, like double-overtime losses, to clinching the championship in an unforgettable final, the players etched their names into school history. Their story will inspire future generations of VFH athletes to aim high, work hard and believe in the team\u2019s strength.<\/p>\n\n\nFrom Doubt to Determination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Secret Sauce<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion <\/h2>\n\n\n\n