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09/15/2016 12:00 AMLast year, the Valley Regional field hockey squad posted its top mark with Head Coach Beth McCabe Powers as the Warriors won 11 games on their way to making the Shoreline Conference Tournament and Class S State Tournament. This season, the Warriors are returning just four starters from their 2015 landmark campaign, although Coach Powers is still feeling good about the overall vibe on her team based on the attitude and work ethic that her athletes are displaying in the early going. Of course, beginning the season with a win always helps, too, and Valley promptly marked that one off its checklist by netting a 5-1 home victory over Morgan on Sept. 13.
Coach McCabe Powers stressed how important it was for her new-look Warriors to open 2016 on the right foot by scoring a few quick goals in a wire-to-wire win triumph versus their Shoreline Conference foe.
“It’s super important because it’s a confidence builder. They all need to get over the hurdle of graduating so many players from last year and, although many of them were part of that team in substitute aspect, it’s different when it’s your turn and you have to step up and do it,” McCabe Powers said. “So it was good to put a few in early, especially the first two to get on the board. It was critical for them, so that they’re gaining confidence as they’re trying to work together as a new group.”
It didn’t take long for the Warriors to pop a few in the cage in their season-opening win against Morgan. Attacker Ellie Tuscano netted the game’s first goal on an assist from fellow senior captain Francesca Daniels just 3:55 into the game, after which Daniels scored unassisted seven minutes later to stake Valley to a 2-0 lead. The Huskies cut it to 2-1 by scoring with 8:26 to play in the first half, but the Warriors responded by putting home two more to hold a three-goal advantage at the break. First, junior Emily Peterson scored on Tuscano helper with 3:14 remaining. Then with just a minute left, Valley made it 4-1 when senior captain defender Maria Pittsinger sent the ball in on a corner play and Daniels struck it home for a score that McCabe Powers called “a beautiful goal, flawlessly executed.” Just two minutes into the second half, junior attacker Caitlin Smith scored on Peterson’s assist to put a bow on the 5-1 win.
Valley outshot Morgan 21-4 and took 12 corners to the Huskies’ two. Junior Logan Burdick, who’s in her second season as the starting keeper, played the first half and made two saves. Sophomore Mia Cost manned the goal in the latter stanza and had a save. Burdick is one of Valley’s four returning starters and she’s joined by midfielder Daniels, attacker Peterson, and junior midfielder Laura Quinn.
Coach McCabe Powers was pleased with several aspects of the Morgan victory, especially since her team is still trying to put the right pieces in place at the outset of a new campaign.
“I thought we did a really good job of hustling to the ball and a better-than-anticipated job of passing,” she said. “I thought our corner defense worked out fine because we let no goals in on corners and, although we only scored on a corner, we actually executed better than I expected for a new unit…We’re actually still nailing down everybody’s positions. Things are still fluid and, although we were successful with putting the ball in the goal, I feel like, with a few tweaks to our lineup, we can be more successful with putting the ball in the goal.”
Daniels put the ball in the goal 21 times last year and also had 19 assists on her way to earning First Team All-State, All-Conference, and New Haven Register All-Area honors. This fall, Daniels is one of Valley’s four senior captains, along with Pittsinger, Tuscano, and defender Abby Grace. Coach McCabe Powers said that each member of the quartet is living up to the responsibility of being an effective leader.
“They’ve been very dedicated at trying to improve everyone’s skills and setting the example of hard work. All four came into the season very fit and they encouraged fitness right off the bat for any new players. They’ve also done a fantastic job of welcoming 16 freshmen and we’re thrilled to have such big numbers come out of [John Winthrop Middle School] since they don’t have a proper program,” said McCabe Powers. “Franny, in my opinion, is one of the best players in the state, and so we’re blessed to have her one more year. She’s super talented and, on the field, she’s the cog that makes the whole thing tick. However, the other three captains have also been fantastic with everything you want captains to be. They’ve been super good at organizing and trying to foster dedication to the younger players.”
McCabe Powers concluded by discussing what she feels needs to happen for Valley to have another memorable season and once again qualify for both postseason tournaments.
“Well, Logan will have to continue her very high level of play in the goal. That will have to happen. And then our overall unit working together for the entire 60 minutes has to come together to make it even close to last year’s numbers,” she said. “But I feel good about it. I feel like those are both attainable goals. We will definitely get better as the season goes on with working together and I truly feel like Logan will be her spectacular self.”
From the Sidelines
Beth McCabe Powers enters her 12th season as head coach of the Valley Regional field hockey team. She’s assisted by Randy Netsch, who is in his third year with the program and is also the Warriors’ JV coach.
Valley’s current varsity roster for the 2016 season consists of junior defender Alexandra Brennan, junior goalie Logan Burdick, junior midfielder Jordana Castelli, sophomore defender Annie Cooper, sophomore goalie Mia Cost, junior attacker Caroline Crowell, senior captain midfielder Francesca Daniels, junior Ellen Flynn, senior captain defender Abby Grace, sophomore defender Olivia Kohlmer, junior attacker Avery O’Rourke, junior attacker Emily Peterson, sophomore attacker Francesca Pisanzio, senior captain defender Maria Pittsinger, junior defender Hannah Proteau, junior midfielder Laura Quinn, junior attacker Caitlin Smith, senior captain attacker Ellie Tuscano, and sophomore defender Leanne Webb.