Away at Vermont Academy on a spectacularly sunny, warm fall afternoon, Deerfield’s JV Field Hockey won their first game of the season in a competitive match-up—in a score of 1-0. The game marks the first win in a number of years against this perennially strong team (and a Varsity program at that). Goalie Lucy Blake ’19 had more to do in the second half than the first, but even so, the DA defense did a strong job of keeping the ball out of the Vermont circle for most of both halves—while the DA offense did a great job of pressuring Vermont Academy, spending much of the contest in the Wildcats’ circle. Mid-way through the second half, right wing Maddie Blake ’17 passed to forward Valerie Ma ’17 who tipped it around the goalie and into the cage. The green and white were then able to hold the lead in the last 10 minutes of the game. Even down two players on the roster (a goalie as well as one of our returning forwards), the girls made a great start to the season in this first game—and did so with galvanizing play and great spirit.