Playing a rival opponent that it has experienced tough, close games with in past seasons and may face again this year in the postseason, Sacred Heart Greenwich’s Varsity A field hockey team was already in playoff form in its early-season matchup against visiting Taft School on Sept. 17.

Efficiently passing the ball throughout the field, generating multiple shots on goal and playing effective defense, the Tigers defeated a formidable Taft School squad that’s given them problems in the past, in convincing fashion.

Joanna Eken scored two goals, while Kingsley Ely and Lauren Clark tallied one goal apiece for Sacred Heart in its decisive 4-1 win over Taft School at Magnetti Field. Coached by Alex Gheorghe and Sarah Hill, the Tigers have earned victories against School of the Holy Child, Kent School, Hopkins School, Taft and King School and are a perfect 5-0 so far this fall.

During the course of its five-game winning streak to start its 2025 campaign, SHG has outscored its opponents, 31-1.

“From the beginning of the season, we have been working on our passing and working well as a team and looking for the right pass,” SHG senior co-captain Casey Smith said following the Tigers’ triumph against Taft School. “After watching this game, I feel like we still have room for improvement, but we’re way more improved and it’s impressive.”

Captaining the team with Smith is senior Elle Corcoran, a forward, who has spent the past several seasons on the program’s successful varsity squad. Sacred Heart Greenwich captured the FAA Tournament championship in 2024 and is always in the running to win the FAA title and contend for the NEPSAC championship.

Taft is one of the teams the Tigers have gone up against in the NEPSAC Tournament in previous seasons.

“They are a very solid team, a boarding school, so we had to close the lines and keep the pressure on them,” Gheorghe said of his Tigers team competing against Taft. “Definitely a big win for us, a big win for the girls.”

Indeed, Sacred Heart displayed its depth and skill against Taft, which they led against, 3-0, after the first quarter.

“We all help each other out with shooting and defensively,” Corcoran said. “It’s not just one person that is scoring the goals.”

Like Smith, Corcoran appreciates being a team captain.

“It’s been amazing, it’s such an honor to be a captain for this group of girls,” Corcoran noted.

In the Tigers triumph over Taft, Ely gave the hosts a 1-0 lead by scoring off an assist from junior Whitney Rousseau with 10:19 remaining in the first quarter. At the 8:42 mark of the opening quarter, Eken tallied off an assist from Hollis Koch, making it 2-0 in favor of Sacred Heart.

With 2:28 left in the first quarter, SHG claimed a 3-0 lead on Taft with a goal by Lauren Clark. The score remained 3-0 until Hannah Zhang notched a goal for Taft with 9:15 to go in the fourth quarter, cutting the Tigers’ advantage to 3-1.

The home team responded with Eken scoring her second goal off a pass from Rousseau, making it 4-1 with 4:11 remaining in the final quarter of play. The Tigers succeeded at generating a lot of shots on goal – 20 to be exact. Taft goalie Eva Layton was kept busy, making 16 saves.

“We played aggressive in all four quarters and that really showed in how we moved the ball around the field and got everyone touches,” said Smith, whose older sisters Ryan and Morgan were also varsity members of the Sacred Heart Greenwich field hockey team in the past. Smith is a defender on the right side for the Tigers. Strong defensive play has been one of the trademarks of Sacred Heart, one of the premier teams in the FAA and NEPSAC.

“Our center back Caeley Clough, she really helps me answer any questions I have,” Smith noted. “A lot of girls have played club field hockey longer than I have, so they are always open to helping me with whatever it is.”

Sacred Heart’s varsity team was back in action today (Sept. 20) and it topped FAA King School, 5-0, in another home game. Hadley Caras’ tally off an assist from Rousseau put SHG on top, 1-0 with 4:30 to go in the second quarter.

Hollis Koch extended Sacred Heart’s edge to 2-0 when she scored with 12:46 left in the third quarter. Lindsay Schwind assisted on Koch’s tally. At the 1:29 mark of the third period, Clough scored with Eken getting the assist, making it a 3-0 game.

Xan Collins and Schwind added fourth-quarter goals, putting SHG ahead, 5-0 and capping the game’s scoring. Liv Starr, who made one save in the Tigers’ victory against Taft, stopped three shots versus King.

“Today King’s strong defensive play challenged us offensively,” coach Hill said after the teams’ win over King. “Our team worked together in the midfield to gain an offensive advantage.”

Rousseau, Koch, Ely, Eken and Caras have helped power the Tigers’ offense, while Clough and Mia Kinney are among some of the athletes that have solidified the defense.

An eighth-grader, Koch is enjoying competing at the varsity level.

“It’s really great, it’s super fun,” Koch said after Sacred Heart’s victory versus Taft. “I love the team, all the girls are super and it’s a great experience and a great learning opportunity. It’s such a great family and it’s really nice. Today, we had great connections, everyone was passing super clean.”

Up next for SHG are matchups against Episcopal Academy and Springside Chestnut Hill at the Max Field Hockey Tournament. Sacred Heart visits Choate Rosemary Hall on Sept. 24, then hosts Rye Country Day School on Sept. 26.

“We just want to have a good mindset for every game,” Corcoran said. “No matter if we have setbacks, we just want to keep pushing forward and keep winning.”