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10/09/2014 12:00 AMAlexa Mulvihill wanted to develop an extra phase of her field hockey game during the offseason and has used her knowledge from practice to score several goals while helping Westbrook post multiple victories early on this season.
Alexa was brought into the sport through her mother and former player Jean and attended camps and did indoor contests in North Branford to better herself as an all-around player. It has paid massive dividends for Alexa and the Knights as she is the squad's leading scorer with seven goals and four assists.
"It's always a team thing with us. We are such a strong group of girls that help each other on and off the field," says Alexa, a sophomore who has played field hockey since 6th grade and also plays softball for the Knights. "I gained a lot of experience in the offseason and learned a lot more in certain aspects. I played a more hit-and-run style last year, but this year I'm incorporating more stick work. The camps and indoor field hockey really helped me grow as a player and I will continue to do them."
Not only did Alexa and the Knights race out to a 6-1-1 mark by winning their first five contests in a row, but they have also gotten it done on the defensive side of the ball by allowing only a pair of tallies all season.
"It's been our ability to work together, plus having a great defense holding it down," says Alexa on her team's success. "A lot of the girls are also stepping up and playing to their full potential. What has helped this team is that we know we can't have one person lead this team. During a game against Valley Regional, we worked well as a team."
Head Coach Janet Dickey explains that her squad is grinding away at its adversaries and that Alexa's personal determination is a big part of that.
"We are off to one of the best starts in a very long time and her hard work at developing her game in the offseason is a huge reason for it," says Dickey.
One contest where Alexa really demonstrated what she had learned via her training was a 4-0 shutout victory over Morgan with her scoring two goals and assisting on the other pair following a scoreless first half.
"We had a sluggish first half and weren't working as a team, but Coach Dickey pushed us to turn it on," Alexa says. "We started thinking that we had to work together and not get frustrated with each other. For me that day, I just relaxed and told myself to do what I do."
Alexa says that the key to crashing the cage is cooperation both on the turf and along the sidelines. She adds that she's excited about the success shown from a club that was expected by others to be heading backwards this fall.
"You have to know the right time to both shoot and pass, but also you have to work together with your team, listen to your coaches, and play smart," Alexa says. "This team lost seven senior starters from last year so we thought it would be a rebuilding year, but to be 5-1 [now 6-1-1] is mind-blowing. The girls here are really excelling at the varsity level."
Solidarity is going to be the main staple if Alexa and the Knights are going to continue this ride and make some headway in the Shoreline Conference and postseason.
"If we want to, we could go far in the conference and the state tournament," says Alexa, who thanks her coaches, along with her mother and her father Mike. "We are a strong team that, if we work together, we can go far."