The Patriots varsity girls field hockey team faced off against Glenbard West on Thursday. Despite a strong performance by the Patriots, the game resulted in a 3-0 loss.
The game kicked off at a slow pace, with both teams attempting to create options. In the last 33 seconds of the quarter, the Glenbard West Hilltoppers managed to score off a penalty shot. This goal changed the dynamics of the match with the Hilltoppers taking a 1-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
“After the first quarter with a talk from our coach, we realized regardless of what happens, we just need to play our best so at least if we didn’t win we could say we tried,” right back Hannah Diab ‘26 said.
The Patriots entered the second quarter with determination, looking to create a scoring opportunity. They tightened up defenses and pushed their offense, and ensured the Hilltoppers stayed scoreless in the second quarter, closing out the half at 1-0 with Glenbard West leading.
The Patriots came out of the half with a newfound intensity, looking to score their first goal of the night. Fueled by a strong halftime discussion, they began to create more scoring opportunities and maintain a strong fight, specifically in the first five minutes of the third quarter.
“We had an awesome scoring opportunity late into the game by Margie Finnegan,” varsity girls field hockey coach Isabella Licciardello said. “The ball was about two inches off the baseline [the end line of the field]. That gave extra momentum through the end of the game.”
This crucial moment pushed the team mentally and allowed them to persist throughout the game. Despite the loss, the team’s drive and effort highlighted their commitment to improving in future matches.
“Next season we will focus on capitalizing on scoring opportunities and doing this earlier into games,” Licciardello said.
The team’s grit has been shown throughout the season as the Patriots faced the three top teams in state this season. They view their losses as wins because of the strong mentally and teamwork they used together to create an overall perseverant team.
“We also learned the value of patience during game play as well as self control,” Diab said. “And then obviously the lessons of never giving up and staying persistent despite the scoreboard.”