Murphy Produces Points Aplenty On the Hornets’ Turf
Branford senior Caroline Murphy proved a stellar player for Hornets’ field hockey throughout her career and now she’s putting up more quality numbers with the girls’ lacrosse squad. As a forward, Caroline led the field hockey team with 16 goals to go with eight assists last fall. Patrolling the midfield in lacrosse this spring, Caroline has scored 20 times and handed out five assists.
“It hasn’t been easy. I spent many years practicing and spending many of my summer hours down at the turf just always trying to hit the ball into the back of the cage,” says Caroline. “I’ve spent many days traveling to different colleges and being coached by many collegiate coaches. Most importantly, I have a very supportive family that pushes me and makes sure that I’m putting in my time and they’re always there to help me throughout it.”
Caroline was inspired by her older sister Kristin, who was a Branford field hockey standout before graduating in 2001. The positive influence of her sister motivated Caroline to work her way into becoming a nationally ranked player who was selected to compete in the National Futures Championship and the Senior All-Star Game; in addition to earning a First Team All-State, First Team-All SCC, and New Haven Register All-Area honors. Caroline was also named the co-Most Valuable Player and a recipient of the Best Offensive Player Award for Coach Cathy McGuirk’s squad in her senior year.
“The fact that there was quite a distance in age, Caroline really looked up to Kristin and knew how hard she worked to get what she got. Caroline tried to do the same thing. Caroline wanted her sister and her parents to be proud of her, so she worked very hard to have that happen,” says Branford field hockey coach Cathy McGuirk. “She worked very hard to be a good field hockey player. One of the things someone like that wants to do is score, so she got in the right position. She’d get there and be ready.”
Among everything that Caroline has achieved on the field hockey turf, her proudest moments were when she helped the Hornets continue their streak of playoff appearances, in addition to getting Coach McGuirk a career milestone.
“It’s always been a tradition and that’s what I always wanted—to keep it going as a tradition. I never want it to stop,” says Caroline. “Being able to get Coach McGuirk her 500th win was an amazing honor. Being able to win games for her, that’s the best feeling a player can give to their coach. That’s how it pays off.”
Caroline was named a captain for both field hockey and lacrosse in her senior year and feels fortunate to have attained those positions.
“For my teammates to look up to me as a leader, that is the best feeling,” says Caroline, who thanks her family and coaches for helping her get to where she is today. “It gives me a good feeling that I have the qualities that I’m a good speaker and I’m inspirational and that’s something that I really appreciate.”
Caroline’s leadership abilities are shining brightly this spring according to girls’ lacrosse Head Coach Jackie Ceccolini, who says her captain seems to naturally be in the right place at the right times while pushing her teammates both vocally and by example.
“Caroline is a tremendous leader and captain. She has a big presence on our field as she leads the midfield through both offense and defense. Everyone looks to her,” says Ceccolini. “Caroline has great game sense. She understands the ball well and has an aggressive, hustle nature. She gets into every play and comes up with it. She always seems to have herself in on the action.”
Caroline has enjoyed guiding her teammates on each of her squads and cherishes the feeling of achieving a victory alongside them. That’s why she never stops motoring once the whistle blows.
“I just have the willpower to run fast. When I’m running in a game, I don’t get tired because I always want to perform my best and do my job,” says Caroline. “I see the field really well and I’m able to connect with my fellow players. I know how they play and I know how I can form my shape to how they play so that we can work together. I’m a good team player.”