After maintaining possession of the ball for the majority of the game, the final whistle blew and the Redwood varsity field hockey team celebrated their 7-0 shutout against the Drake Pirates on Oct. 11, improving their league record to 7-2.

Starting the game off with a lead, the Giants were able to keep the ball on the attacking end for the majority of the game and work on their offensive play. Coach Jen Reidy attributes the team’s offensive success to the new drills they tried during practice to prepare for the final games of the season.

“The mindset was really around trying new things, switching fields, backpasses and really trying to up our strategy and our game in preparing for the championships,” Reidy said.

Sophomore Chloe Swildens further expressed that this was a game where they were aiming to improve their fundamental skills, something that needs to be emphasized.

“We practiced some of the switching fields, back passes, flats and throughs which are some fundamentals that we need to work on,” Swildens said.

As reflected by the score, the Giants were able to hold the Pirates and focus on their offensive goals. Their comfortable lead also allowed more flexibility and opportunities for  JV players, who were pulled up for the rest of the season, to get playing time.

With this being their first year in a formal league, the Giants have been exposed to higher competition in addition to having a much longer season, compared to their six week season last year. With this in mind, Reidy has been continuing to push and motivate her team for the tail end of their season.

“We just have to brick by brick keep working hard and improving our strategy and continuing to be more aggressive,” Reidy said.

Not only do the Giants aim to build their play on the field, but senior captain Nicole Notter also explains their strong focus on bonding this year. They have already done various bonding activities such as a team bonfire at Ocean Beach and are hoping to continue building their chemistry off the field.

“[I hope to] get closer as a team and build trust. We’re big on team bonding because that really helps on and off the field and we’re excited to see how the rest of the season plays out,” Notter said.

The Giants hope to add to their 7-2 league record in their next game on Oct. 15 at home against Berkeley High School.