CENTURY CLUB: Stuart Country Day School box hockey participant Lily Harlan dribbles upfield in a sport previous q4. Last Friday, senior big name and Boston University devote Harlan tallied two objectives and an help as Stuart defeated Peddie 3-0. Harlan, who just lately handed the 100-point mark in her Stuart occupation, now has 13 objectives and 9 assists this season, each team-highs, for the 6-2 Tartans. In upcoming motion, Stuart hosts Burlington City High on October 5 and the Pennington School on October 7. (Photo through Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
Coming off a coarse 9-2 loss to the Blair Academy ultimate Wednesday, Lily Harlan and her teammates at the Stuart Country Day box hockey group believed that the setback may just get advantages them as they performed at Peddie two days later.
“It wasn’t our best game, but I think those types of games are what a team needs to get better,” mentioned Stuart senior big name ahead and co-captain Harlan. “In the past for the tournaments, like the Prep Bs and the MCT, playing those harder teams is what prepared us. Our team is very hardworking, very fast, and I really think we can hold our ground against any team after seeing the Blair game. There were many things we could have done differently; you need to lose to learn.”
Last Friday, Harlan implemented some classes towards Peddie, weaving during the Falcon protection to attain a purpose with 9:23 left within the first quarter because the Tartans solid forward 1-0.
“For me that is how it starts, I score early and that usually gets me going,” mentioned Harlan. “It is so exciting. The team is so nice, they always celebrate. It is very motivating when you have such a good team and coaches because you are not just doing it for yourself.”
Harlan stored doing it, chipping in a purpose and an help in the second one part as Stuart pulled away to a 3-0 win over Peddie.
“We just needed to care more, we needed to sprint to every ball because Peddie came in with greater energy,” mentioned Harlan. “They were running all the time. They made it hard, they cared so much the whole time. We just needed to step it up — we were playing sloppy. Once we started making strong block tackles, looking upfield for our teammates and not just passing it nowhere, dodging opponents, making smart moves, that was really the difference. That is how we had so much possession.”
With Stuart bettering to 6-2 within the wake of the win, Harlan believes the Tartans could make a powerful stretch run.
“I think we can honestly play with any team in this area and we will hold our own,” asserted Harlan. “Even if we don’t have as much skill as everyone else, we are scrappy, we are fast, we are smart, and we are encouraging. Every single person on this team cares so much and that is the difference in the game. So many players could have different levels of skill, but what really matters in the end is the effort and the mentality.”
As a four-year starter and group co-captain, Harlan appears to be like to set a suite a good instance for her teammates.
“I try to be a leader because I am one of the captains,” mentioned Harlan. “I always try to motivate everyone and keep everyone upbeat. I try to tell people positioning and where to be. I try to score.”
Over her occupation, Harlan has confirmed to be a prolific scorer for the Tartans, having tallied her a hundredth occupation level in a 4-2 win over Delaware Valley on September 24.
“It feels so amazing. You put in all of this hard work, and you get there,” mentioned Harlan, who has dedicated to wait Boston University and play for its box hockey program. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without this program. Stuart is such a small school, so a lot of people get the opportunity.”
Stuart head trainer Missy Bruvik noticed the Peddie sport as a chance for the Tartans to discover a rhythm.
“It was getting back on the wining track, but really just getting back on the field and playing good hockey,” mentioned Bruvik. “We are looking to make those right passes at the right time. That was going to be our focus today. I think it took us until the third quarter to do that. We were much better in the second half. We just kind of relaxed into it. Maybe that was coming off that game Wednesday to build our confidence back up. It was just relax, do what you do well, and hustling a little more.”
Bruvik credited Harlan with hustling in every single place the sphere. “Lily makes a huge difference,” mentioned Bruvik. “She has that nose for the goal, but she is also always back on defense. She is the first back behind the ball, even when they are putting balls into the circle.”
The Tartan protection additionally made a distinction because it held the fortress in shutting out Peddie.
“I thought the defense played solid,” mentioned Bruvik. “Elise [Price] picked up her game. We moved her in the second half because we didn’t think she was seeing the ball. We moved her from center mid to the outside. The ball never really got to her where she had a chance to control play earlier and she had a great second half.”
In Bruvik’s view, seeing her squad get again on course after the Blair sport used to be heartening.
“I am happy that after loss we are able to come back and find a way to win and bounce back,” mentioned Bruvik, whose group hosts Burlington City High on October 5 and the Pennington School on October 7. “We are still working on the timing of the passes, the connections. We changed the formation on them in this game too. That is helping us —figuring out against which team to do which formation. We need to keep doing what we are doing, being resilient, and we will keep figuring out the system for each game.”
Harlan, for her section, believes that the Tartans are on the right track.
“We really need to work on finishing; we have a lot of opportunities, but we need to put more in,” mentioned Harlan. “It is just finishing, putting them in, finding those smart passes, and making those good cuts. We are getting there. This game and Blair were a bit of an obstacle we needed. We needed a little push. I think that will get us going for the next game.”