We headed to Loomis Chaffee knowing that their grass field would be an added challenge for us. Our team had practiced on grass the day before, but we were still getting used to the differences in how we would need to play compared to our usual turf. While our solid defensive team kept Loomis to a single goal in the first half, scored during a confusing scrum on the goal line, our offensive players took the first half to adapt to the new playing conditions. Consequently, DA went scoreless into half-time. After a focused team huddle at the half and two quarters on grass under our belt, the DA squad finally found their rhythm. The girls became better at seeing where Loomis was going to put the ball, moving their feet, and making strong, decisive passes. We dominated the play in the second half. The girls on the bench were a chorus of cheers as our team bombarded the Loomis goalie with shots. In the fourth quarter, DA converted their offensive pressure into our first goal of the game: a beautiful give and go from Milana Shuman ‘28, to Ella Waag ‘26, and back to Milana. Then, in the final minute of play, Maggie O’Brien ‘27 dribbled in to score a final goal and bring us the win! Rose Manning ‘26 and Rayner Loos ‘29 also deserve a shout out for stepping out of their comfort zones by stepping onto the forward line. They both played a critical role in shifting the momentum of the game. We look forward to playing against Westminster at home on Wednesday.
