DA was a force to be reckoned with in their 6-0 win against nearby opponents NMH. Initially neither team dominated, as both NMH and DA skillfully moved the ball from one end of the field to the other. As the girls settled into a rhythm, strong free hits from defenders Lily Faucett ’20 and Kate Kelly ’22 kept the play primarily moving in the direction of NMH’s goal. Whether center forward Captain Jada Howard ’19 sped down the center of the field, dodging opponents on a break-away, or Emma Jaskolski ‘20 flew diagonally across the field to send the ball through to right wing Renee Ballou ’20, DA pressured NMH’s defense with intensity. Our midfielders and forwards worked together seamlessly. Jada scored twice on break-aways, Caroline Mahoney ’21 got one in the net on a corner, and Captain Dom Whitney had her first goal of the year after skillfully powering her way into the circle. On more than one occasion, midfielder Daly Baker ’22 could be seen executing beautiful passing sequences with her forward Ainsley Hatch ‘22, and through that supportive play Ainsley found her way into the circle numerous times, scoring two goals and assisting with another. The final goal of the game was one of those ‘picture perfect’ scores with a pass just outside the circle from defender Kate Kelly, deflected into the back of the net by Ainsley. We would not have come away with such a solid win without the impenetrable defense. Lily Faucett ’20 was as solid a wall as ever, and gave unending support to goalies Anne Brown ’21 and Captain Lucy Blake’19, keeping the NMH offense at bay, allowing only two defensive corners. The game was a much welcomed win after starting the season with two ties, and it was clear that the team was beginning to truly come together.