In an eventful three-game region tournament, the Meridian field hockey team fell short in the final, facing a 3-0 defeat. Despite the loss on Thursday, Oct. 30, the Mustangs have earned a spot to play in the upcoming state tournament, with their first game against the York Falcons.
Overall the region tournament was a learning curve for Meridian. During the region tournament the Mustangs offense struggled to be consistent.
“We can’t win if we don’t put the ball in the cage,” head coach Anne Steehoek remarked.
To kick off the region tournament, the first-seeded Mustangs faced the Kettle Run Cougars in a fierce back-and-forth matchup, and escaped with a 2-1 win in overtime after a go-ahead score by senior Emma Flanagan.
The semifinal matchup was déjà vu for the Mustangs. After another riveting performance, Meridian sealed the deal in overtime, besting the James Monroe Yellow Jackets 2-1.
The long anticipated region final had the Mustangs match up against the second-seed Western Albemarle Warriors in a matchup which would prove to be Meridian’s toughest yet. The ‘Stangs were immediately overwhelmed from the start, conceding two goals in just the first half. Despite their best efforts, the Mustangs were unable to keep the Warriors at bay, and would ultimately lose 3-0.
“We need to remember we can still win when teams score on us,” said Steenoek. She will continue to emphasize the importance of offense and resilience through the remainder of the playoffs.
The team is optimistic going forward, as they look to put the loss behind them, and use the region tournament as a beneficial experience to prepare for the upcoming state tournament. The girls enter the state tournament as the second seed from region B, set to play the York Falcons at home this Tuesday, November, 4.
