How do you sum up a field hockey season, one full of achievement, learning and genuine growth, in just a couple hundred words?
When I was asked if I wanted to write a piece reflecting on what has been nothing short of an incredible season, I didn’t hesitate for a second.
A bit of background helps: I’m not only a new sports staff writer to The Mirror this year, but also a first-year goalkeeper on the Fairfield field hockey team from England. Between early mornings, late-night deadlines, and long bus rides (the 10 hour trip to Mercyhurst deserves a mention), this season felt pretty nonstop. So, the time I have now to look back is much appreciated.
This year taught us, over and over, to embrace difficult things. That’s where we grew. That’s where we discovered who we were, all 26 of us on the team, individually and together.
It was that collective identity, and focus on the number ‘26’, that was at the core of every practice, every team meeting, every tough moment.
Before each game, with adrenaline racing and hearts pounding, one of our captains, Pilar Mengotti, would remind us as we huddled together one last time before the starting whistle:
“Together now. One through 26. Stags on three. One, two, three… STAGS!”
I genuinely believe the love, trust, and commitment built off of that number and all it stood for was the driving force behind securing back-to-back Northeast Conference (NEC) championships and our subsequent run to the Sweet 16 stage of the NCAA Tournament – the furthest the program has gone since 2019.
Whilst we may have defended our conference title, this season was one that looked very different. New coaches, new tactics, new ideas; a time of adversity, and therefore a time where we had to stick together. Besides, we had a trophy to defend.
At the start of preseason, the team sat down with the coaches to discuss our goals for the season. Be unbeaten in conference games? NEC champs? Make it to the Sweet 16 of the national championship?
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Along with those material goals, we promised each other to hold ourselves to these three words:
Humble. Relentless. 26.
On the bottom of every document the coaches gave us, plastered all over the locker room, scribbled in the opening pages of our notebooks – they were the words that reminded us of our identity and what a privilege and honor it was to be able to step foot on our field and represent Fairfield University.
Our 3-0 win against Wagner at home to seal our conference title defense felt like much more than just getting the trophy against one of our main conference rivals. That trophy was a reflection of the hard work, sacrifice, relentlessness, humility and ‘26’ mentality that we channeled into every drill, practice and game.
Winning the conference gives you an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, so it only meant one thing: we still had more work to do.
Off to Princeton University we went, where we were selected to play the Boston University Terriers in the opening round.
The night before the game, Coach reminded us of what an honor it was to be one of the 20 remaining teams in the country who had the opportunity to still be able to play field hockey this season. We did not take that for granted, and fought to a gritty 1-0 win, setting us up for a Sweet 16 matchup against Princeton, the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
Whilst the Tigers ended our run, through our disappointment that this amazing season was over, we were, and still are, so proud of what this team accomplished in the recent months.
These past couple days, I have tried to sum up what this season has meant to me. What it has represented, taught me and my overriding feelings from it.
So, I decided to give myself a challenge: describe the season in three words.
But just as this season never belonged to one player, neither does its meaning. When I asked a few teammates and my head coach for their three words, here’s what they said:
Camille Perlov, a sophomore forward: “Relentless. Growth. Family.”
Payton Rahn, a fifth year goalkeeper: “Proven. Thankful. Extraordinary,”
Alyse Wanchisen, a freshman defender: “Family. Humble. Gratitude.”
Catalina Ness, a junior midfielder: “Progress. Team. Fun”
Laura Gebhart, head coach: “A Season of First’s (in process and outcomes). Fun. Transformational.
And for me: “Strength. Grit. Together.”
We started as 26 people on a boiling hot day in August, and we finished as one team, carrying each other through every high and every setback.
Here’s to next season.