The Germantown Academy field hockey team has finished the 2002 season with an amazing record of 12-4-2. The team is Inter-Ac champions, and ended the league season undefeated with a record of 6-0-1. This is the first year that field hockey has ever won the league championship for two consecutive years in a row. As of last year, field hockey had not won the Inter-Ac since 1988. In addition to our win, GA’s JV team has tied for their Inter-Ac title, and GA has won the Inter-Ac title overall for all three (Varsity, Junior Varsity, and 3^rd) teams. One of these wins occurred today against PC- we finished the game with a winning score of 2-1. Here’s a recap of the wonderful game that started at 10:30am on GA/PC Day.

Seniors Juliet Bronstein, Melena Tsoflias, Jillian Baron, Joey Rhoads, Chrysten Pappas, Kate Lukof, Katie Warner, Amy Rosen, Kirstin DeFusco, Katie McPhillips, and Junior Whitney Kerns dominated the first half of play. Unfortunately senior Dana Newberger could not participate because of pneumonia, but she cheered on the team! During the first thirty minutes of the game, Penn Charter got the ball past the 25 yard line no more than three times. GA had many shots on goal the first half, and missed six shots by only a few inches! Within the first 9 minutes, with 21:06 left on the clock, #5 senior Melena Tsoflias scored the first goal of the game with an assist from #19, senior Kate Lukof. All play occurred in the Penn Charter end most of the remaining period.

After halftime at 11:10am, Penn Charter started to fight back with relentless effort. This was surpassed by GA’s great spirit from the hockey team and their wonderful fans. Play went back and fourth between both ends. During a fluke corner, a hit went 15 feet into the air, landed gently on the ground and one Penn Charter forward hit it up, inches past the goalie. This tied the score with 18:44 left on the clock. After that goal, Germantown Academy got angry and fought back with rigor. At 17:51, not even a minute after Penn Charter’s goal, #1 junior Christina Harris scored the winning goal with an assist from #11, senior Joey Rhodes. PC increased the pressure, forcing the play on the left defensive side. With less than seven minutes left in the game, PC came up strong with a break away, but the shot was off after an attempted save by Amy Rosen. After five more rigorous corners, and two shots on goal, GA kept playing hard and the game finally was over. With the fifth win of the day, GA/PC day is in the bag.

Overall, Jillian Baron, Joey Rhoads, Chrysten Pappas, Kate Lukof, Katie Warner, Whitney Kerns, Amy Rosen, Kirstin DeFusco, Katie McPhillips, Katy Lawlor, Kristyn Holmes, Jackie Connard, and Dana Newberger had an absolutely amazing and memorable season. GA got sixteen corners, which is more than double PC’s seven corners. Our shots totaled twenty-one, which is over five times more than PC’s total of four shots. Comparing today’s win with our pervious win (3:1) to Penn Charter on October 8, 2002, the GA team outshot PC 28:9! Captains Katie Warner and Joey Rhoads, as well as coaches Ginny Hoffman and Brooke Watson have led a talented and spirited team to victory. Good luck to next year’s team with captains Whitney Kerns and Christina Harris. Last by not least, special congratulations go to seniors Kirstin DeFusco, Dana Newberger, Katie McPhillips, Amy Rosen, Chrysten Pappas, Katie Warner, Kate Lukof, Jillian Baron, Joey Rhoads, and Melena Tsoflias for finishing their GA field hockey careers with such a successful, triumphant, and happy end.

Pre-game Report

Field Hockey Ready to Rumble
by Amy Rosen '03

After a rigorous season, field hockey has accomplished what it has set out to do! As of last year, GA’s field hockey team had not won the Inter-Ac since 1988! During the 2001 season, the team tied for the championship with Notre Dame, losing that year to Notre Dame 3-2. Yet, GA has clinched the title for itself this year! This is first time ever GA that has won the Inter-Ac league title for two years in a row. Last season Germantown Academy’s field hockey team finished strong with a record of 13-6-2. Our record this year is 11-4-1, and in the league field hockey is undefeated with a record of 5-0-1. Seniors who are finishing up their last season soon are Kirstin DeFusco, Kate Lukof, Katie McPhillips, Dana Newburger, Amy Rosen, and captains Joey Rhoades and Katie Warner. Good luck to all of them this Saturday!

As for GA/PC day, field hockey has already beat PC by a score of 3-0. Our team is looking very strong and we are excited to win on Saturday. The game will be on the middle school field hockey field between the track and the tennis courts at 10:30 AM, so come out and watch!

Originally published in the Academy Edition, 11.08.02