By Sheily Ramirez ’28

The girls varsity field hockey team hosted the Pennington School on October 11 for their annual “Pink Out” game in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Despite a 6–0 loss, the Storm pushed themselves to the very end.

For one of their biggest games of the season—a MAPL matchup—the team prepared diligently and showed their spirit by decorating themselves with pink glitter, ribbons, and pink shin covers. The sidelines were filled with cheering, pink-clad families, and students wore ribbon pins to show their support.

Team captain Lexi Chepren ’26 said, “I believe our team has grown so much closer, and we all have such a better connection than we did in late August. The team even goes out to dinner all the time, and we simply hang out together outside of practice. Team chemistry plays a key role on the field. Since preseason, this team has been working really hard on passing and teamwork, which I feel really showed during the second half of the game.”

Chepren also reflected on the team’s mental toughness throughout the season. “Even when the score isn’t in our favor, we never stop playing for each other. Every game is a chance to grow and prove how much we want this as a team,” she said.

Emily Guzic ’28 added, “Head Coach Michaela Singer tells [the team] to give 110 percent every day, to keep pushing themselves on the field, and to take a break when they need it.”

Assistant Coach Katie Shank said, “As a small team, we value the importance of encouragement. We are resilient and have pushed past various injuries along the journey.”

In addition to noticeable team growth, several exceptional plays marked the game. Filippa Kriependorf ’27 earned a stroke—an opportunity for a one-on-one shot against the goalie. Chepren explained, “It was a stand-up moment. We have been practicing this specific play and finally got it. Along with that, we also had many good passes.”

Shank added, “During practice, we found that using flat and through passing really helped carry the ball forward, and we applied this skill throughout the game.”

Kamden Jenkins ’26 reflected on the team’s energy during the match. “Even when things got tough, everyone stayed positive and kept talking on the field. The support from the bench and the crowd really helped us keep pushing until the end,” she said.

One factor that likely influenced the score was the assumption about how the opposing team would perform. Whitney Webb ’27 said, “It was interesting to see how much the Pennington girls field hockey team had improved since our last match. It was honestly pretty unexpected.” Even so, the Storm did not let up.

Kriependorf added, “We don’t only play for the win but to give 110 percent and to give our best.” She and the rest of the team believe that not winning is not necessarily a loss. With this mindset, the varsity girls field hockey team will continue to practice and focus on teamwork as they look to finish the season strong.