BY MATT SCHOOLEY
Lacking a consistent offensive punch so far this season, the Bow High School field hockey team appeared to be in rough shape on Friday, Sept. 21, against visiting Pelham High School.
Things aren’t always as they appear.
The Falcons bounced back to score three unanswered goals en route to a 3-1 victory, improving the team to 3-5 on the season.
Bow senior captain Becka Keyes tied the contest with 15:58 remaining after Pelham’s Kellie Chadwick broke a scoreless tie two minutes earlier.
“In field hockey, unless you are an amazing field player, it comes down to heart and who wants it. You have to have that will and desire,” said Falcons head coach Tracy Berube. “We saw that (our players) could run and hang with Pelham, and they just had to want it more.”
At halftime, Berube asked her girls if they wanted to score one goal. After they replied, “Yes,” she said to them, “No! You’re supposed to say we’re going to score more than one!”
Heather Bennett put Bow ahead for good with 10:45 remaining when she punched in a rebound, and Julia Romano added the final score with a little more than one minute remaining in the contest to seal the victory.
Despite allowing the three goals, Pelham’s Alex Catalano was outstanding in goal, making 14 saves, many under heavy pressure from the Bow offense.
The Pythons spent much of the day near the Bow goal, something Pelham head coach Mary Johnson said is difficult to overcome.
“Punching the ball in when you’re that close is the most impossible thing to teach. It’s right there, and it’s just a matter of wanting it,” she said. “You can take the ball 100 yards and get it to that 10 inches, but sometimes that 10 inches seems even farther.”
Sarah Strumpfer played well in goal for Bow before leaving with back pain.
The Falcons have yet to build momentum so far this season, but perhaps the victory over 2-6 Pelham is the start.
Berube said her team met the night before the contest and left the casual conversation with a good feeling.
“We had a good talk last night about who we are and who we want to be,” she said. “Today was a really good day for our confidence."