On Wednesday, March 17, the Independence field hockey team hosted their very first Senior Night and won their fifth consecutive game in a row. The team had an undefeated regular season and after competing in regionals for the second year, they advanced to States.
The team had much momentum going into their game on Senior Night. “I think what contributed to our win on Senior Night was how badly we wanted our senior forwards, Evan and Clemie, to score. They have been working so hard and everyone wanted to set the perfect shot for them,” said Maggie Didona, a senior goalkeeper.
That night, all three girls — Maggie Didona, Evan Black and Clemie Cahir— were celebrated for their dedication, time and effort towards the team. The Senior Night festivities included a red carpet and flowers to honor them. Cahir and Black were able to get the first two goals that night, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
“What I’m going to miss the most about playing at Indy are my teammates. At my last school, everyone had their own cliques and friends, but here every one of us talks to each other like we’re family,” Didona said.
As a second-year program, bonding is a key part of the team’s performance and success. “We bond through celebrating our wins, shouting while singing on the bus, complaining about running and encouraging each other through drills,” sophomore Maddie Diluigi said. Although bonding opportunities outside of school may be limited due to COVID, the girls have been able to work around their obstacles.
COVID has been a hard hit for many around the globe, but the field hockey team has persevered despite some setbacks. They’ve had to make a few minor adjustments such as late tryouts. “Having tryouts in February was freezing considering we’re all used to August weather. The cold definitely took us a second to get used to,” Didona said. The team’s season has also been shortened due to the effects of COVID.
Their first regional game took place at Independence on April 12 against James Monroe. The team faced this opponent in the same round last year and lost 1-2. This year, the Independence Tigers came back stronger than ever to finish what they had started. The girls brought the region title home with a 2-1 victory over James Monroe. They advanced to the state semifinals on April 20 and lost in a heartbreaking overtime. Although this isn’t the last you’ll see of the Independence field hockey team, they will be back next season.