Just last weekend, the Varsity Field Hockey team traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, to compete in  the Gateway Classic Tournament. Every year, the Field Hockey Team takes a bus to Missouri (about a five hour road-trip) to play against top competition.

The Scouts ended up tying the first game against John Burroughs  with a score of 1-1, with Caroline Keil scoring the first goal of the tournament. The Scouts then lost to Christian Academy, ending with a final score of 2-0. In their third game against St. Josephs, they once again tied 1-1 with Lexi Berittini scoring the lone goal. Although this is not exactly the outcome everyone wanted, the team said they still had so much fun playing against great competition and getting to spend time with all their teammates. 

The tournament is just a start to what will be a great season. Even during their very first game against Loyola on Monday, August 22nd, the Scouts were able to start off their season with a bang by winning the game with a final score of 3-0. 

With a loss of 13 seniors from last year’s team, many teammates were nervous because they were not sure what to expect for the new season. 

Lily Cran, a senior on the team says for her, “The first game is always the most nerve racking. Although we play a lot of teams that do not matter in our conference, these games really set the tone for our season ahead. The Loyola game was an uncertainty in a lot of our minds; it was our first game with a brand new lineup, and Loyola isn’t an easy first opponent.” 

However, the team was also super excited. Lily also describes how happy she was to be back on the field and how winning their first game gave her and her teammates a sense of optimism for the upcoming season. 

She describes how “the pacing and energy was great from the start. On the field, our team did a great job moving the ball up the field and secured our first goal within the first quarter. We gained a lot of new talent this year, and it was great to see them make their debuts at this game. Loyola has always been a more physical team, but our team maintained our cool and played fair- and ultimately secured a 3-0 win!” 

The very first goal of the game was shot into the circle by Hannah Balmelli (#2), and tipped by Lily Cran, (#14). Caroline Keil and Agnes Vedra scored the other two goals of the game. 

Devin Balmelli, a senior on the  team describes that when they got a corner, which is a great scoring opportunity, she could “hear the Loyola bench trying to cheer extra loud to distract and disorient us.” The Scouts were able to pull through the game with a great attitude and a big win. 

Something that is super important for the Field Hockey Team is their pre-game routine. For a big game like Loyola, the team strives to be focused and ready so they can play well.

Maeve Farrell, a sophomore, believes that the team’s energy before games is like no other. She says that before the Loyola game, they “were all singing on the bus and getting ready, which definitely helped a lot of people who were nervous let loose.” 

Devin Balmelli also describes the usual pre-game routine as first getting off the bus, walking onto the field and warming up with drills, then lastly, having a pep-talk with Coach Cat before starting the game. 

What also separates the Lake Forest Field Hockey Team from other teams is keeping the Scout pride up, no matter the situation. Many teammates say their team energy on and off the field is one of the favorite things about the team. 

Lily Cran says, “We really pride ourselves on our cheers and chants on the sidelines- and it’s always a competition for us to be louder than the other team. It’s always great to hear someone cheer you on and a lot of times our sideline is what makes the difference in our games.” 

Maeve Farrell also said that during the Loyola game, “The sidelines were full of energy, making the game super exciting and fun because of all the cheering and positivity.” 

She also describes how each goal requires everyone to work together, so when the team gets a goal she is super happy to see all the work pay off. 

The Field Hockey Team has only just started their season. Not only do they have  lots of potential to grow and get better,  but the team also gained and welcomed a lot of new talent, including three freshmen. (Campbell Gore, Reagan Brown, and Caitlin O’Shea.) Everyone is excited to see what they can and will accomplish these next few months!