Already five games into the season, the field hockey team is struggling after graduating half of the varsity team last year. They are currently 2-3, after their loss yesterday to Oakton, 0-1, in overtime. They had a close game with Centreville, the top-ranked team in the district, who ultimately prevailed, scoring one goal. Their first loss was in double overtime, to Oakton, 1-2. The wins against Chantilly, 2-1, in double overtime, and Westfield, 4-2, prove that the team has enough stamina and talent to overcome the roster losses.
     "We had a phenomenal team last year, but we still have a lot of depth. We have a lot of potential in the underclassmen," junior Tina Ho said.
     The team has maintained many of its key players, like senior captains Laura Peterson and Lucy Terrell; junior wings Amanda Brill and Caroline Normile; and junior back Tina Ho. The team lost seven starters from its team last year as well as several All- District players, but both Brill and Ho made All-District last year and have returned to the team as seasoned veterans in their third year.
     “We need to continue to build upon the foundation that we have,” Coach Teri Davis said.
     Brill has led the team in scoring for the past two years and is continuing to do so this year with five goals. Two-time All-District selection Brill scored three goals in the Westfield game. Despite the losses the team is still optimistic about the season and is taking the loss to Centreville in stride. Centreville has been a dominating force in the Concorde for several years and in the past two meetings has held the Colonials scoreless during their wins.
     "We’ll beat them next time," Brill said. "We know we’re capable of it, we just have to do it."
     The experienced junior and senior players will have to step up into leadership positions to continue the successful season, but the experienced players have a lot of confidence in the younger ones and view the new additions as equals.
     "The younger players have really stepped up," Davis said.
     The underclassmen have had to integrate quickly to the team and assume more responsibility than in the past.
     “I think there’s been more pressure,” sophomore Kendall Stone said, but “with Coach Davis everyone feels like they have to give it their best, no matter what.”
     The graduated seniors did not take all the talent with them, but the team unity and dynamic were changed completely. According to Ho the team valued teamwork as one of its greatest assets last year and they hope to continue the same tradition of closeness this year. Terrell admitted that the team did have some adjusting to do, just as any new team does.
     "Definitely at the beginning we weren’t used to playing with each other," Terrell said.
     The team reached the semi-finals in Regionals last season, losing in overtime to McLean. Despite being a rebuilding year, the team has enough standout players to continue the success from last year and they expect to do so.
     "I should view this as a rebuilding year, but I’m not like that. I expect to do well every year," Davis said.
     The players share her optimistic view; the team expects to make it to Regionals again this year, which means that they must end the season in the top three of the district.
     "We’re definitely capable of going to Regionals," Ho said. The key to a successful year is "believing in ourselves and playing our game."