St. Luke's Field Hockey: Season Preview

The St. Luke’s Field Hockey team has enjoyed a very productive preseason and is excited to get the 2019 season underway.

Head Coach Seeley Fancher, returning for her second season, has been impressed with the group’s work ethic: “Preseason has been excellent. The girls came back in great shape, ready to get back into the swing of things and to work hard. The team’s baseline was set high early on. During the first week of preseason, we were doing drills that were not introduced until the middle of the season last year, which is awesome.”

The team is captained by Abbey O’Meara ‘20, Mia Mitchell ‘20, and Ally Riley ‘20, and the coaching staff has been extremely pleased with how the trio has taken to the role: “They have shown great leadership skills right off the bat. The captains have organized many great team bonding activities throughout the preseason. It is clear that the team has truly bonded and all the players feel like they are part of the team, regardless of age, grade level or position on the field.”

St. Luke’s Field Hockey has a number of key players returning, including Kathleen Ehlers ‘21, Lucy Ehlers ‘21, and Lili Messina ‘22, as well as welcomes a number of new faces. Fancher is excited to see what this year’s squad can achieve: “What is really exciting about the team so far is that we have not had just one person stand out, but multiple people showing up and impressing everyone on the field. We have welcomed a few new players who look like they will make a real impact. Eloise Leclerc (‘21) has very strong stick skills and great vision on the field. Sloan Barker (‘22) has been working particularly well with Andrea DiTeodoro (‘22) in midfield, and Kiley Galvin (‘23) also looks like a great addition.”

Another new player this term is eighth-grader Izzy Schuh, whose dynamic play during the first couple of weeks earned her a spot on the varsity roster. Fancher has been impressed with the youngest member of the squad: “Izzy has stood out not only because she is always giving 100% effort, but also due to her ability to maneuver through defenders, her tendency to take strong shots on goal, and her inclination to be selfless with the ball. I’m sure her play will create momentum and energy among her teammates”

The Storm finished with an overall record of 6-13 last year, but Fancher is confident they can improve that record: “The biggest hope I have for my players is that they play with heart, energy, and unity. I hope each player acts with confidence in their individual skills, but also with confidence in each other. If we do this, I’m sure we will improve our record. I believe that they will play best when they are having fun.”

St. Luke’s Field Hockey program opened its season against Hopkins School on Saturday, September 14. Despite outshooting its opponent the Storm fell 0-1. The team will look to bounce back on Wednesday, September 18 at home against Rye Country Day School