On Friday, Oct. 7, the varsity girls’ field hockey team pulled off a hard fought 3-1 win against the Pleasant Valley Vikings. The team had to battle under the scorching heat in order to result in a victory.
Throughout the first quarter, Pleasant Valley held the Giants at a 0-0 tie, as they managed to lock down on defense. The Giants had the majority of the possession, however, they were unable to put one in the back of the net. Although no one scored in the first quarter, senior captain Eleanor Titcombe acknowledges that the team succeeded in bringing the energy up towards the end.
“We were playing super cohesively throughout the game. Despite the first half being a bit slow, we really picked up the energy,” Titcombe said.
Prior to this goal, immense ball movement and communication from both the players on and off the field, led to more opportunities on goal. Halfway into the second quarter, junior Bella Wagner scored the first goal for the team, giving them a 1-0 lead. The team used their newfound energy to continue pushing to keep their lead until halftime. Junior Maisie Pipitone reflects on the importance of this goal as it helped give the team momentum for the upcoming quarters.
“We definitely gained a lot of hope after [Wagner’s] first goal and we were very determined to score more as we wouldn’t settle for a 1-0 win. Our forwards and midfielders were definitely more aggressive on the goal posts following the first half,” Pipitone said.
The start of the third quarter for the team was filled with intensity as they knew they needed to keep their lead. Only up by one goal at the six-minute mark in the third quarter, senior Chandi Sexton shot right on post giving the Giants a 2-0 lead.
Head coach Aline Copp notes the strengths of the team, as they displayed their consistent possession throughout the match.
“I personally feel that [out] of all the teams in [the Marin County Athletic League], we maintain possession more than any other team and we have more shots than other teams. Sometimes the scores don’t reflect them, but we have such beautiful ball movement and the girls really understand the game,” Copp said.

With a 2-0 lead and just one more quarter to go, junior Amanda Mueller scored a phenomenal scooper goal that slid just past the goalkeeper’s glove, extending the lead to 3-0, halfway through the fourth quarter.
With just one minute left of the game, the Vikings got a shot on goal, resulting in a final score of 3-1.
“It would have been nice to not have that last goal go in within the last minute of play and giving them a corner is one of the things that you strive not to do in field hockey. So I know that that was frustrating for the players and myself,” Copp said.
Carrying determination and energy towards the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) finals, the team plays their next home game against Lick-Wilmerding on Thursday, Oct. 13.
“This season has been incredible so far and we have all gotten so close on and off the field. I am beyond excited for the rest of the season,” Pipitone said.