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11/01/2018 12:00 AMEmily Torre is contributing to the Guilford field hockey team in a variety of ways this fall. Emily primarily plays the defender position, although she also moves up the field to take corner plays. Thus far, Emily has scored eight goals to with seven assists for the Indians, who are steamrolling into the playoffs after posting a regular-season record of 13-2-1. On top that, Emily is leading Guilford as one of the team’s senior captains.
“The biggest thing with corners is trusting myself, which has been difficult for me in the past. I just have to know I can hit the ball and get a goal,” says Emily. “I may whiff sometimes, but I just move on to the next one. You wipe away the mistakes and go into things with a clean slate.”
After taking a 4-3 loss to Stonington in their season opener, Emily and the Indians have only allowed seven goals in their 16 subsequent games. Emily says that Guilford’s defensive unit is in sync both verbally and physically. From a personal perspective, Emily says that it’s all about hunkering down and being prepared for any shot that’s sent in her direction.
“Most of the teams we’ve played this year have strong offenses, but a key for me has just been staying low and bending my knees, rather than my back,” Emily says. “For our team, the biggest thing is communicating on defense, which is evident in our success.”
As the last defender in front of the goal, Emily has to face some heat from the opposition’s offense. However, Emily remains unfazed by that pressure, because she knows she has a solid cast of defenders supporting her from every angle.
“I am a last line and resort on defense, so there’s an element of pressure. But the best part of the position is that I have the help of my teammates backing me up,” says Emily, who also plays softball at Guilford. “In our defensive formation, I have people on both sides of me.”
Emily says that earning the title of captain for the Indians is “one of the biggest achievements of my career.” Emily feels beyond honored to represent such a prestigious program in a leadership role.
“I get to lead a large and wonderful group of girls. We are a close-knit group,” she says. “It’s awesome and I love wearing the ‘C’ on my jersey.”
Guilford field hockey Head Coach Kitty Palmer says that Emily brings a diverse skill set to her squad. Palmer believes that Emily’s durability and speed are two of her greatest assets on the field.
“Emily scores her goals on corners and has a terrific drive that leads to many offensive chances,” Palmer says. “As a freshman, she stood out because of her athleticism and strength.”
Emily believes that Guilford’s early season setback versus Stonington served as catalyst for the Indians’ success this year. The senior captain feels confident that her team has what it takes to put together a prosperous playoff run in 2018.
“We just have to keep our momentum going. We didn’t start off too well in our first game, but it was a wakeup call for us, and learning from our mistakes then helped us,” says Emily. “We’re trying to communicate as much as possible and have good team chemistry. We’re working well together and should have a successful postseason.”