RM Rockets blast past the Blazers

OCT. 28, RICHARD MONTGOMERY—

The Blair girls' varsity field hockey team finished the season with a 2-11 record after suffering a disappointing 0-4 loss to the Richard Montgomery Rockets in the first round of county playoffs.

The Blazers have struggled for much of the season, but they did show some signs of improvement in their playoff loss. The ball went back and forth, with Blair's offense threatening the Rockets' defense on several occasions. However, the Blazers were unable to follow through and score, and they ended the game shut out for the eighth time this season.

Richard Montgomery scored off a penalty shot shortly into the first half when freshman Claire Onley, who was just moved up from JV, illegally kicked a shot that would've scored. The Blazers would battle for the rest of the half but could not score; they also gave up another goal by the time the halftime whistle blew.

Throughout the game, the Blazers hustled after every ball and put in a valiant effort to keep their season alive. Still, missed marks and missed scoring chances were too much for the team to overcome.

The Blazer defense gave up another two goals in the second half as sophomore Maura Druhan replaced junior Jordy Goldstein in the cage. Junior Sydney Valdez led the defense and was superb on her free hits, which traveled well into Rocket territory and helped generate the offensive attack.

Playing in what turned out to be their last high-school field hockey game, Blair's seniors put in a strong performance. Senior co-captains Rachel Feely-Kohl and Alexa Gabriel led the team with their stick skills and intensity. Senior Christina Do, the leading scorer for the season, played with tenacity but was unable to add to her season goal total.

Next season, the team looks to build and improve upon its 2-11 record. Six seniors will be graduating and sorely missed. However, the Blazers have some young talent that can fill the holes in the coming season.