Champions of the World! Woooooo! Girls Varsity Field Hockey Conquers the MCT

On Thursday, October 20, Lawrenceville Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Team took home the Mercer County Tournament (MCT) trophy. Coached by Lisa Ewanchyna, Hollister Olson, and Holly Burks Becker P’06 ’09 ’12, these girls went from a rocky start of the season to now competing in the state championships. During their latest game, Anna Hoover ’24 had two incredible goals: one during the second quarter, with an assist from Amelie Deng ’24 with 5:35 seconds left, and the other during overtime with only two minutes remaining, taking home the win against Princeton Day School. When asked about how she felt about her two goals, Hoover said, “By overtime, everyone was dying, so I was just thinking about the team and did it for them.”

Hayla Dora ’24, a spectator of the game, said that she was “On the edge of [her] seat the entire time…the majority of the game was neck and neck, so when [Hoover] scored the final goal, everyone went insane.” She mentioned, "It was great to show up for our girls, and winning made the day special.”

At the same time, another spectator, Grayson Salatto ’25, credits Lawrenceville’s winning to Hoover with a great assist from Deng.

Deng said, “We are just a lot more invested this year—last year we were coming off a season where we had barely any games, so we have become so much closer, and I feel like it has impacted our game.” 

While the team has been having an incredible season, it would not be possible without the stellar work of each individual on the team and the coaches. Ewanchyna mentioned how after every game, the girls rewatch their plays and try to make the team the best possible version of itself. Anyone who has played a varsity sport knows how important reviewing footage can be, and it  is thus a crucial aspect of the Girls' Varsity Field Hockey team’s strategy. Ewanchyna said, “When you play on a team, you have to know you're never perfect. We all know this, and looking at others' mistakes can help the entire team.”

Additionally, Ewanchyna brought up the importance of games like the MCT. She emphasized how the hard matches make the girls dig deep and power through the complex teams. She speaks about the importance of “those moments when it's not just a blowout because they help us prepare for good games since you have to be gritty until the end. We love to win, but it is never an easy path." This mentality of the Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey team is exceptional and has helped their success in the New Jersey Prep A League. This Lawrenceville sport has created such a tight-knit group of athletes who make everlasting bonds until the end of high school and beyond. The team has come so far, but they still need the entire school community's support, so make sure to come to as many games as possible and as always, GO BIG RED!