The Staples Field Hockey Seniors brought home the first field hockey championship title on Nov.5 2011 since the year they were born—1994. The victory over the Wilton Warriors was well deserved and long awaited. It might have taken seventeen years to fulfill this goal, but this accomplishment is a pure result of the 2011 roster. Captain Emily Ashken ’12 said every single girl is a valuable member of the team. “Their constant drive and dedication is what has made our success so far,” said Ashken.
The first half of the game commenced with fierce defense of both sides. Several penalty corners were taken, which requires four defenders to stand in their goal while the opposing team attempts to score. There were two close calls but Staples tightened up their defense and avoided any goals from Wilton in the first half. Shannon Connors ’13 made a crucial save and pushed the ball back into Wilton’s territory for Ashken to gain possession of the ball. With just 2.7 seconds remaining, Ashken scored and closed up the half with 1-0 lead. Only recently recovering from an injury, Ashken was unsure if she’d be able to participate in the FCIAC tournament. She was delighted to not only have her skirt on yesterday, but also to contribute to the score.
“That goal was such a great display of Staples Field Hockey” said Ashken, “We worked together as a team, showed our skill, and were able to get the job done.”
Fearing the Wrecker’s lead, the Warriors came back into the second half ready to take vengeance. Just a few minutes in, Wilton scored and tied the game up 1-1. Captain Misha Strage ’12 was not about to let the tables turn. Without the use of her right thumb due to severe swelling from a previous game, there was no stopping her from driving that ball into the goal. With a close attempt at a goal the top of the half, the game soon came to a halt when Wilton player #18 went down with an injury. Unable to walk off the field, a golf cart came to her assistance. Unfortunately, the golf cart ran out of gas in the middle of the field and had to be manually removed. This slight delay gave the Wreckers a moment to congregate and put together a plan to break the tie. Just over a minute later, the Wreckers were on offense and driving towards the goal once again. A true team effort allowed Noortje Lueb ’14 to assist Strage in the second goal of the game. This was Strage’s third goal in the FCIAC tournament, making her responsible for three-fifths of the Wreckers goals. Strage describes this moment as a dream come true.
“As a freshman, all I ever wanted was to win at least one championship. To have it be my last [senior] year that we do it is honestly amazing,” she said. Strage concurred with her co-captain that everyone on the team has worked incredibly hard. Goalie Chris Lueb ’12 received the MVP award for the game.
As the girls posed for pictures with their medals and the Staples super fans rushed onto the field to congratulate the team, an overwhelming confidence could be felt in the air. As the state tournament approaches, the Lady Wreckers could not be in better spirits to continue their streak of dominance.