Field hockey stays red-hot as streak hits double digits

Senior Sarah Cunningham and the CHS field hockey team are on an impressive roll. (Mike Tureski photo)

Update: The CHS field hockey team made it 13 in a row — and nine shutouts in a row — with a 3-0 win over North Attleboro Thursday night. With the victory, the Bulldogs clinched the Hockomock Davenport Division title and improved to 13-2 heading into the final week of the regular season.

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Everything is rounding into form for the CHS field hockey team, who are in the midst of one of their most dominant runs in recent memory.

With two more wins last week and another on Monday at nonleague Braintree, the Bulldogs have now won 11 in a row and seem to look more and more unbeatable with each game they play.

Ten of their 11 victories during the streak have come by shutout, as they have now outscored the opposition by a combined margin of 38-1. (Their lone goal surrendered was in a 5-1 home victory over North Attleboro several weeks ago.)

Perhaps most impressively, according to head coach Chrissy O’Connor, is there are no “superstars” on this team. Instead, everyone is contributing and executing when their number is called.

“Everyone is kind of doing their job and no one is looking for accolades,” said O’Connor. “Everyone is playing very steady. When the offense is off, the defense seems to be on, and vice versa. They seem to be a very even crew.”

O’Connor did make a point to single out junior goalkeeper Carolyn Durand, who bounced back from early losses to Franklin and Oliver Ames and has looked sensational ever since, tallying over 100 saves.

“This is her first year playing varsity field hockey and she’s just calm, cool, very even keeled,” O’Connor said of her goalie. “Nothing really fazes her, and we trust her to make the saves.”

Durand has also gotten tremendous support from the defenders in front of her, led by the foursome of Carly Fitzgerald, Laura Valkanas, Sierra Abbott and Katie Lavoie. Three of the four are new to the role, yet they have quickly developed into one of the most dominant units in the league.

The Canton offense, meanwhile, continues to sharpen its playmaking and scoring touch. They continue to generate quality looks and are now averaging better than three goals per game for the season, led by Ellie Bohane (11g, 8a), Erin Lane (7g, 6a) and Sarah Cunningham (7g, 4a), who had a big week last week with three goals in two games versus Attleboro and Oliver Ames. Audrey Koen has also stepped up her scoring while Peyton McDonough has been a steady contributor all season with two goals and six assists.

Now firmly in control of the Davenport Division and with a postseason spot already locked up, the Bulldogs can start to set their sights on even loftier goals — such as a deep playoff run, or ultimately a state championship.

Going into this season, O’Connor openly admits that she didn’t know what to expect from this year’s team, not after losing so many starters and having to play a shortened schedule in 2020 with a modified 7 vs. 7 format due to COVID-19.

“Some of our players hadn’t even played a full field game prior to this year,” she noted. “Now, as we’re kind of melding together and getting better as we go along, the players are getting more comfortable and trusting each other.”

While she doesn’t want to get ahead of herself, O’Connor said she has seen what this group can do and she certainly believes they have what it takes to compete in the state tournament. “Every game is a chance to get better and we do have some tough games coming up on the schedule,” she said. “But I do think that on our best day we can compete with anyone.”

After an away game on Tuesday against Stoughton, the Bulldogs will travel to North Attleboro on Thursday and then close out the regular season with three more next week versus Sharon, Foxboro and Norwood.

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