By Karen Phan, Opinion Editor
This afternoon, the girls’ varsity field hockey team ended the season with their senior night game. They lost 1-9 against the Edison High School Chargers.
“Today was our senior game and we played really hard since it was the last field hockey game [of the season] for us,” senior captain and forward Madison Grogan said. “The score didn’t reflect our energy level, but Edison is a really good team.”
The first half began with the Chargers’ offense overwhelming the Barons. Edison was awarded a penalty corner in the fourth minute and drove the ball into the right hand post of Fountain Valley’s cage, resulting in their first goal of the game. The Chargers scored a second goal during another penalty corner in the 10th minute.
The Chargers continued their offensive pressure, but the Barons’ defense, led by senior captain, defender and midfielder Mackenzie Esquer, cleared the ball and Fountain Valley was awarded a penalty corner. Esquer sent the ball to junior midfielder Cortney Ngo from up top. Ngo snuck the ball behind the Chargers’ goalie and made a goal for the Lady Barons, bringing the score to 1-2.
“We managed to score against Edison, which is something we’ve never accomplished in the four years I’ve been playing,” senior captain and midfielder Maya Bello said.
Edison’s offense played more aggressively following Ngo’s goal. The Chargers frequently intercepted the Barons’ passes and wore the Barons out with quick passes. In the 20th and 26th minute, Edison scored their third and fourth goals with clean hits into Fountain Valley’s cage. The Chargers concluded the first half with shots on goal and the Barons were behind 1-4.
“The first half was better than the second half, but the effort level was good throughout the game,” Bello said.
Fountain Valley allowed Edison to make a fifth goal in the 31st minute. The Barons picked up their pace and started to pressure Edison, and the game reached a stalemate for a few minutes. Edison secured the ball about twenty minutes into the second half but missed several opportunities to score or had their shots on goal saved by senior goalie Maria Ramirez.
The Chargers eventually penetrated the Barons’ defense and Fountain Valley gave up a sixth goal in the 41st minute followed by a seventh goal in the 45th minute during a penalty corner.
Edison played with high intensity until sophomore defender Carley Abbott-Hayes cleared the ball out. Sophomore forward Zanvious Thantrong and Grogan sent the ball up to Ngo. The Chargers quickly regained control of the ball and prevented the Barons from making anymore offensive plays.
In the 57th minute, two Edison players made a cross-cage pass for a one-timer straight into Fountain Valley’s cage to score their eighth goal. Edison sent the ball past Ramirez in the last 30 seconds. The game ended with the Barons losing 1-9.
“I think the score should have been a lot lower than it was based on our performance level,” Bello said. “Even so, it was a good way to finish the season.
Fountain Valley’s conference record is 5-5 in the Sunset League South. They will not be going to the California Interscholastic Federation playoffs, but the captains have expressed their satisfaction with the team’s effort this season.
“To all the seniors, I would like to say that I am so privileged to have played with you, and these past years have been incredible,” Grogan said. “I will miss all of my varsity girls and I know they’ll do great next year.”
