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11/18/2021 11:00 PMHead Coach Nancy Gatta was unsure what to expect when the Old Saybrook field hockey team entered the 2021 season. After the Rams had played a shortened schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Gatta’s goal was to see her squad get through a healthy campaign without any setbacks this fall.
Old Saybrook accomplished that goal and then some by posting a record of 12-6-1 on its way to earning berths in both the Shoreline Conference Tournament and the Class S State Tournament. The Rams went on to notch a 2-1 overtime victory versus New Fairfield in the first round of states before taking a 1-0 loss against Thomaston in a quarterfinal contest.
“Coming off a short 10-game season, surrounded by COVID protocols, we were not sure if we would get a complete season in or have interruptions. Thankfully, we played a full season,” Coach Gatta said. “My hope going into the season was to be above .500. This team exceeded that goal, and they had a spectacular season. We had many successes this season, and the team is very proud of what they were able to accomplish on the field.”
Old Saybrook was led by senior captains Grace Adams and Libby Stuart, along with fellow seniors MacKenna Cooke, Chelsea Heinke, Alexa Coty, Kayla Chacon, and Ava Dicker. Adams, Heinke, and Cooke each earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors for the Rams, while Stuart and Coty both made the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team.
Junior goalkeeper Kate Molesky also received All-Shoreline Second Team accolades for Old Saybrook. Sophomore Amelia Sigersmith garnered All-Conference Honorable Mention on behalf of Coach Gatta’s squad.
“I was lucky to have a team full of talented filed hockey players this season. This team was led by senior co-captains Grace Adams, who was a forward for us, and midfielder Libby Stuart,” said Gatta. “We also had a key sophomore this season, Amelia Sigersmith. She played many positions on the field, including midfield, defense, and forward.”
The Rams entered the Class S State Tournament as the No. 6 seed hosted No. 11 seed New Fairfield in the first round of the draw. Old Saybrook prevailed by a 2-1 score in overtime, winning the game on a goal by Cooke on an assist from Coty. Coach Gatta called that victory her favorite moment of the season.
“To see this group of athletes come from behind and win that game against a great, competitive team was amazing. They fought hard every minute of that game,” said Gatta. “To have them run over to me after the OT goal and celebrate with me with hugs, laughs, and tears was so special.”
The win over New Fairfield also had sentimental value for Coach Gatta. It meant a lot to Gatta to see the happy faces on a group of seniors who she had coached since they were freshmen. Gatta felt incredibly proud of the Rams’ seniors for making so much growth as field hockey players during the past four years.
“I took over coaching this team when this group of seniors were freshmen, and to have them play at a high level with grace and sportsmanship all four years makes me very proud,” said Gatta. “I have known some of these seniors since they were in preschool, because my son is also a senior and they have all grown up together.”
Although her team lost in the state quarterfinals, Coach Gatta felt that Old Saybrook turned in a solid performance and played with confidence when it took a 1-0 defeat against No. 3 seed Thomaston.
“I felt like we really just got a place with the team that I could trust them on the field to make decisions without having to vocally coach them,” Gatta said. “To see them execute the things we worked on and talked about in practice and translate that to the game was great. It was an awesome feeling seeing it all come together.”
Along with all the hard work that her players put in, Coach Gatta also credits Assistant Coach Sarah Thompson for making valuable contributions for Old Saybrook throughout the season.
“Each season brings its own set of challenges. Sarah has been key in helping develop our lineup and being my second set of eyes during a game,” said Gatta. “It is so helpful to have someone you trust by your side every day. Having her knowledge of the game on the sidelines each day makes our program better.”
In addition to the goalie Molesky, Old Saybrook’s junior class also includes Maggie Ashe, Kaylin Laskowksi, Jessica Kidd, Shelby Dorothy, Sage Arpaia, and Brianna Aspajo-Berdiales. Aside from Sigersmith, the other sophomores on the squad are Libby Dunn, Hailey Stone, and Leah Slisz.
The Rams also featured 12 freshmen on their roster this year: Lila Cadley, Tenzin Choedhar, Kimberly Cordova, Ayla D’Anna, Sydney Webb, Grace Desmond, Ella Noack, Hannah DePuma, Stephanie Rivera, Brooke Webb, Ava Gil, and Erin Fiorelli.
Although Old Saybrook is saying goodbye to a talented cast of senior leaders, Coach Gatta is expecting the Rams to once again be a contender in both the Shoreline Conference and state ranks in 2022.
“My expectations for next season will be the same as I have at the beginning of each season. I want the team to be at or above .500, to qualify for the state and conference playoffs, and to play some great field hockey,” Gatta said. “There are some very talented, experienced players returning to the team next season. This will be our building block. From there, I will look to fill in some quality players to build a competitive team. There are some young, talented players who are going to see a lot of varsity playing time next season.”