By Duncan Nixon
On Sept. 15, the Fluvanna girls field hockey team hosted the Hilltoppers from E.C. Glass High in Lynchburg.
Field hockey is usually a low-scoring sport. It is tough and sometimes dangerous, as sticks and a hard ball are always in play. The ball is normally hit along the ground, but it can come up and hit a player hard. The game is played in fifteen-minute quarters.
In the first quarter, the Flucos controlled the ball extensively. With 7:25 left in the quarter, junior Claire Petrylak scored for the Flucos from close range after a scramble in front of the Hilltoppers’ goalie. The Flucos subsequently had two strong runs down the field, one by Petrylak and another by senior Caroline Thomas. However, they were not able to up the score and the quarter ended with the Flucos leading 1-0.
Late in the second quarter, the Hilltoppers evened the score. They also scored off a scramble in front of the goal. The goal came immediately after the Hilltoppers were awarded a corner as the result of a penalty on the Flucos.
A corner in field hockey is very different from a corner kick in soccer. A player on the attacking team places the ball on the end line beside the goal. The attacking team lines up players in front of the goal, and the defending team stations two defenders on the end line between the goal posts on either side of the goalie. The ball is hit out in front of the goal so one attacker has a clear shot and can try to shoot between the defenders and into the goal. The result is often a scramble in front of the goal with sticks swinging vigorously.
The Fluco goalie made an initial stop, but an E.C. Glass attacker was able to push the ball into the goal. As the half was ending, Fluco goalie Farah Evans made an excellent save, keeping the score even.
The third quarter was scoreless. E.C. Glass earned another penalty corner, but the Flucos defended it successfully.
With 7:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, senior Mallory Esch, one of the Flucos’ captains, scored a go-ahead goal off an impressive downfield run. Unfortunately for the Flucos, the Hilltoppers responded quickly, scoring again off a penalty corner, with just under five minutes remaining.
At the end of regulation, the score was 2-2, and a sudden-death overtime period followed. The Flucos again stopped a penalty corner three minutes into the overtime. But E.C. Glass was able to score the winning goal on a close-in shot after five minutes of play.
After the game, Head Coach Jennifer Payne lauded the steady play of Caroline Dahl and Petrylak. She also noted that Evans recorded an impressive 10 saves on the night, bringing the season total to 59 saves.
The team continues a busy stretch. The Flucos traveled to Louisa County on Sept. 17 and hosted Northumberland two days later. They played at Orange County on Sept. 22 and will host Monticello High on Sept. 24 and Albemarle High on Sept. 29.
