Sunday 5/5/24
It was going to be an unusual week of field hockey this week, with the team still preparing for its first game on a grass field early in the week and then resuming practice for a game on turf on the weekend.
On Tuesday, the team was already assembled at Eastridge waiting for the team bus when word was received that the Fairport- Johanna Perrin team had canceled the game. It had been a rainy day, but looked like it would clear up in time for the game and so it was a surprise to get that message. Nevertheless, the game did not happen that day, but luckily it has been rescheduled for the Eastridge Stadium turf in a couple of weeks.
Varsity Coach Fischer was a great help during this time when Coach Adams was away for a planned trip to the West coast. Not only was Coach Fischer able to present some routines used at the Varsity level, but also had a chance to work with players which both coaches hope will continue playing at the next level.
The Pittsford-Calkins Road team showed up at the Eastridge Stadium on Saturday morning with the most players of any squad faced so far…26 total (with 8 missing that day). It was the first game where Eastridge would have more than the starting eleven…the team now up to 15, with 3 available to play this day. Hard drives on self-starts helped get the home team into the Calkins end of the field. It was more than midway through the first quarter when Calkins had the first corner of the game for either team. There were 3 corners in rapid succession, but no goal to show for them. Three minutes later there was another trio of 3 corners in a row, but still no score. The second quarter saw a whole new batch of Calkins’ players enter the game and Eastridge had its 3 new players now in the lineup too. With just 2 minutes left before halftime, a Calkins right side forward entered the circle and sent a spinning shot toward goal which was stopped by the Eastridge goalie’s pads but then spun oddly into the side of the goal cage for the first score of the game. Calkins blended their lines for the third and fourth quarters. There were two corners in the opening minutes of the third and then another corner halfway through that quarter which prompted an Eastridge timeout to change the momentum. Calkins had three more corners before the end of that third quarter, but still only had the one-goal lead. There was another time out by Eastridge midway through the final quarter, and then with 3:14 left in the game Calkins eventually found the net after extended play in the circle after a corner. The visitors finally had their insurance goal and left with the win. The visiting coach was very complementary about the home team’s play and revealed her team had already played 7 games and won all but one handily and just one tie against its cross-town rival.
The Lancers will now have a 3-game week…away at Johanna Perrin on grass on Tuesday, home right away on Wednesday versus Brighton, and away at Penfield turf on Saturday morning. There will be practice on Monday, team photos before the bus ride to Fairport on Tuesday, practice on Thursday as the flower pickup is happening for the Annual Mothers’ Day Fundraiser, and practice on Friday.
The season is rapidly coming to a close, with many games to squeeze in before the end. The players are fun to work with and are using practices to add to their game. It will be interesting to see how much they will be able to show what they know in this week’s games.
See you Monday,
Coach Adams