Going for perfection two years in a row involves a lot of subtle decision making.
So with her team leading 2-0 at halftime of last Sunday’s ISL field hockey final, St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes coach Marcia Way decided to make some adjustments to her defense, something nobody really questioned given Way’s 30 years of unprecedented success at the Alexandria private school.
After a 2-1 victory over Georgetown Visitation to capture the 2008 ISL title, it appears the only person that can get in the way of the Saints quest for a second-straight Virginia Independent School championship is Way herself.
“I changed some stuff in the start of the second half, which I should know better than to do,” said Way with a self-deprecating laugh after capturing her seventh straight league championship. “It changed the complexion of our defense and that’s when the one goal was scored. But it’s always good to remember those things (as) I’m not ever gonna do that again.”
Leading the charge for SSSAS was senior Emily Conner, who scored both goals in the finals, two days after scoring four goals in the team’s 6-2 win over Bullis in the semifinal round.
Winning the league title has become second nature for a squad that appears focused on repeating as undefeated state champions and proving their worth among the other great Saints field hockey teams of the past. While most of the roster already has a state title to their credit, none are resting on their laurels just yet.
“Every year seeing great field hockey teams, you just want to be a part of it,” said Conner.
It also means the Saints get everyone’s best shot and it was no different against Georgetown Visitation. The Cubs came storming out of the gates in the second half, scoring seven minutes after halftime thanks to a goal from junior Baihley Underhill.
Georgetown Visitation mounted another attack later in the half, securing three penalty corners in a row, but couldn’t get any shots through Saints goalkeeper Paula Trohos.
When it came down to crunch time, SSSAS showed its championship poise, dominating the last 10 minutes of play.
We have to get used to being expected to win,” said Way of her team’s response. “It’s kind of like New England in the Super Bowl (last year), who thought the Giants were going to win?”
Added Conner: “We have a bull’s eye on our back, but if you look at our record for the biggest games, we always come out strong.”
That bodes well for the VISL tournament, where SSSAS qualified as a No. 1 seed. On Tuesday, the Saints defeated Trinity Episcopal, 6-0, in a first-round match to move onto the semifinals, which will be held in Richmond Friday.
With a repeat of last year’s state title as their focus, the Saints might be competing against something more than just the opponent on the field.
“I wouldn’t say they are necessarily better,” said Way about comparing this year’s undefeated squad to last year. “But in fantasy field hockey, I’d love to see this team play that team.”