By Betty Kaldas
On Friday, Oct. 9, Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) girls’ field hockey team faced Edison High School (EHS) in a long and challenging game which ended in a 0-12 loss for the Barons.
The game began with a series of quick hits by Edison that led them to the Baron’s goal within the first five minutes of the first quarter. Senior Melanie Valladolid attempted to defend on the outside but was beaten by an offender, who drove the ball directly into the circle.
While Edison was quick with their stickwork and getting around the Baron’s defense, once the ball was passed up in a series of strategic moves to the forwards, things began looking brighter. Quick passes fueled with power were made by senior Kaile Hathaway and senior Madison Tran in an attempt to score a goal and put the Barons ahead, but was quickly intercepted by an opposing player.
Defense worked overtime trying to manage the constant attacks from the opposing players. Senior and co-captain Olivia Mae and Valladolid cooperated on defending, staying in their diagonal lines in order to effectively keep the ball away from the goal. Using quick reactions and powerful pushes into open space on the field, they were able to keep the opposing players pushed back as much as they could before they broke through the Baron’s defensive barriers.
A key component to the Baron’s great defense was sophomore goalie Natalie Pedersen, who saved numerous close calls with her quick reflexes and refined blocking tactics. During the remaining few minutes of the second quarter, an Edison offender repeatedly attempted to score, relentlessly driving the ball at Pedersen. Using multiple blocks with her padding and stick and a powerful kick, Pedersen was able to steer the ball off to the side and away from the goal.
While a majority of the goals were scored in the second half of the game, the Barons played their best in both halves, displaying high levels of talent and teamwork on the field regardless of who they play.
The Baron’s next game will be the last of the season as they celebrate their senior night after playing Newport Harbor High School this Friday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m.
