Senior Lily Gibson scored the 63rd team goal of their season, putting the 2024 field hockey team in the ELHS record books, winning the title of most goals scored in a season.
Gibson scored a total of 21 goals this season, the second most on the team. First is Kate Erikson with 26 goals, and third is Gracie Lloyd with 19.
The next week the record b r e a k i n g team went on to beat their rivals Stonington and claim the title of ECC champions.
“Everyone on the field contributes. Our forwards are incredible, scoring most of the goals, however our defense and midfielders play a huge role in moving the ball up the field,” senior Violet Maziarz said.
“The new record really shows the effort the girls have been putting in this season,” Durkee said.
As Durkee explains, the team has been incredibly flexible, learning new drills and plays during practices.
“Execution and shooting quickly is a huge thing we focus on,” Durkee said.
All of these attributes have contributed to the team’s success, as shown in their 4-3 win against North Branford, three-time state champions.
“When we played North Branford they scored first, and we came back shortly after, responding each time they scored. This ended up being the best team games we’ve played all season,” senior Gracie Lloyd said.
This year’s team chemistry is credited to be unmatched, allowing them to reach great heights.
“The team has become really cohesive in their passing and scoring together, as well as trusting each other,” ELHS field hockey coach Katie Durkee said.
Each player on the field has their own role. No matter the play going on, each player has a job to do, allowing the team to strengthen together. This makes the field hockey team one of the strongest in their division.
Even though there were many tough games, the entire team was there to pick each other up. By doing so, they are able to respond quickly to tough opponents.
The current field hockey record stands at 15-4-0-1.
The previous school record for most goals scored in a season was 62 in 2018. This year’s field hockey team has scored 77.
