Field hockey team tops NA in opener

By Jay Turner

With several players still nursing injuries and several others trying out new positions, the Canton High varsity field hockey team was a bit of a mystery heading into last Friday’s season opener against North Attleboro.

In the end, however, the defending regional champs were simply too talented for their hosts as they dominated possession en route to a 1-0 victory.

For head coach Fior Griffin, it was a solid if unspectacular way to start the new season, especially when one factors in the injuries and the loss of several key starters to graduation — including current D1 college players Michelle McNeil and Emma Compagna.

“I think right now we’re still trying to get comfortable and figure out our positioning,” said Griffin. “We’re still trying to click as a team.”

At the same time, Griffin said she was encouraged by the performances of several players on Friday, including first-year junior goalie Emily Buckley and returning junior forward Alex Dillon, who netted the team’s lone goal on a pass from Shannon Proctor. Juniors Kellie Stigas and Jackie Merrigan also played well in the victory, as did senior captains Meghan McKenna and Ali Martin.

For now at least, Griffin is tempering expectations as the team works to strengthen its regular lineup and her players gain some much-needed varsity experience. But while she anticipates some growing pains, she is also excited about the team’s potential and is looking forward to continued success in 2012.

“That’s definitely our goal for the year. We definitely want to win our league,” she said. “We’re just trying to take it one day at a time and one game at a time.”

This week, the Bulldogs were due to play three games in five days, including home against Attleboro on Monday and at Franklin on Wednesday. Tomorrow they will host the newest member of the Davenport Division, Milford, at 3:45 p.m. on the CHS turf field.

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