Chemistry Contributing to Medfield Field Hockey’s Success This Season [Video]

Team chemistry among the players of the Medfield High School field hockey squad continues to improve and the latest example of that came Thursday in a 3-0 victory over Holliston on the MHS turf.

“I couldn’t be more pleased,” said Medfield head coach Mike Mason. “Looking back, we did lose some really significant players last year but these guys are really stepping up. They are getting used to each other more and anticipating each other’s passes. Some of them are new varsity players so it took awhile to get used to who’s going to pass and who’s going to drive and who’s going to do what on the field but the chemistry is there now.”

Sammy Sturchio added two goals Thursday to her team-leading 10 through 10 games and Tori Brown added a tally of her own midway through the second half as the Warriors shut out Holliston for its seventh victory in eight TVL contests.

“We were definitely expecting it to be a tough game and it was a tough game but we ended up on top and that’s great,” Sturchio said.

Sturchio, who has 15 points in 10 games this season (10 goals, five assists), credits her teammates for her offensive success.

“It’s great to be able to score,” Sturchio said. “It’s definitely not all my doing because we have a great team and the midfielders are passing it to me. Emily Zlevor’s also a big help passing it to me from across the net.”

Mason said Sturchio always seems to be in the right place at the right time because she “knows what she’s doing out there.” Sturchio said she’s just doing her job on the field.

“I’m staying at the post and keeping my stick down,” she said. “I find it easier to cut in front of a defender to the post to get in front and tip the ball.”

Medfield (8-2-0, 7-1-0) responded in a big way after a 3-0 loss to Franklin on Oct. 3 with a 10-0 victory over Westwood the next day and a 3-0 win over Holliston Thursday.

“We lost 3-0 to Franklin, which ended up not as bad as we thought but I still think we could have done a better job in that game,” Mason said. “It’s kind of tough because it is a non-league game. We played Westwood the next day and I think that’s why we won 10-0. The kids kind of understood that.”

Sturchio said while the team is focused on beating TVL teams, playing non-league games against teams like Franklin is good for the Warriors.

“I definitely think we are looking forward to beating Tri-Valley League teams but we’re also playing Franklin and other non-league teams,” Sturchio said. “I think that’s a big help in helping us improve our skills. Franklin is a tough team so they make us better.”

In addition to Medfield players starting to click more with each other, Mason credits his three captains for the team’s first half success this year.

“The three captains are doing it on the field and off the field,” Mason said. “Kara [Pelosi] is in the middle … Lauren Yancich is the anchor back there [on defense]. She helps those younger players. The players to her left and right are sophomores, they’re younger and she does a good job of telling them what to do. … Meghan Tschirch is the third captain and doing [they’re] exactly what we need them to do.”

Medfield’s lone loss in the TVL this season came against Dover-Sherborn, a 1-0 defeat on Sept. 27. Medfield will get another chance at the Raiders on Oct. 21.

Sturchio said the Warriors are looking to maintain the team’s success through the first 10 games of the season in the second half of the year.

“We are definitely trying to win as many games as possible and it would be great to win the Tri-Valley League,” Sturchio said.

Medfield hosts Franklin in its next game on Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. on the MHS turf.