The Staples field hockey team opened its 2025 season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Greenwich High School on Sept. 3.
The singular goal came late in the first quarter when Daisy Hackett ’27 found the back of the net, giving the Wreckers an early lead they would hold onto throughout the entirety of the game. Goalkeeper Paige Knesich ’26 and defensive standout defender Ella Ledenko ’26 (Dickinson College commit) made key stops throughout the game to maintain the 1-0 score lead.
“When I scored, honestly, I was just locked in at the moment,” Hackett said. “It felt great to see the work we’ve been putting in at practice pay off. I wasn’t even really thinking, just reacting and doing what we’ve trained to do.”
The first game highlighted Staples’ ability to perform under pressure, even with changes to the lineup. The team is adjusting to the loss of four influential players from last year’s roster: Sofi Fidalgo ’25, now playing at Duke University; Tyla Ozgen ’25, competing at Stanford University; Emma Larit ’25, now playing at the University of Connecticut; and Alex Hackett ’25, who is balancing both field hockey and lacrosse at Dickinson College.
Despite the departure of these star players, Staples remains a strong team with core leaders in place, including Mary Stevens ’26 committed to Georgetown University; Ledenko committed to Dickinson College; and Leah Larit ’27 committed to Northwestern University.
The Wreckers are led by three Captains: Ledenko, Catherine Cirasuolo ’26 and Stevens, who guided the team through the opener. Stevens reflected on the importance of her leadership role.
“As a senior captain it’s important to keep our accomplishments going and set a tone of determination, especially with the line up changing. I think we’ve already done a good job and just need to keep that going,” Stevens said.
Hackett added her thoughts for the team and the season.
“I thought our energy was strong from the start. Everyone was hyped up for the opener, and you could really feel a new connection out there,” Hackett said. “We have a young team and all of our players are playing in new positions, so we still have a lot to build and clean up. Overall, we set a strong tone for the season, especially having so many targets on our back and a reputation to hold.”
The girls enter 2025 with a pre-season ranked #16 in the nation (National Pre-Season Ranking (2025). Last fall, however, they proved themselves on the field, finishing the 2024 season ranked #8 in the nation (National Ranking 2024) and #1 in the state (State Rankings 2024).
