Field hockey team reaches CIF semifinals

Fallbrook High School’s field hockey team reached the CIF Division I semifinals before a November 15 loss to La Costa Canyon.

The Warriors finished the season with a 15-11 overall record, including three playoff matches, and a 5-3 Avocado League mark which tied for second place in the conference standings.

“Just so pleased to see them finish so well,” said Fallbrook coach Kathy Waite.

Including wins in the first two rounds of the CIF playoffs, the Warriors won seven consecutive games before the CIF semifinal loss. Fallbrook had been 8-10 prior to that winning streak. “We really got down and talked about what we can do as a group,”

Waite said. “We came up with some strategies, and it worked.”

The Warriors had a six-game losing streak during the season which began with the Serra Tournament. “We just couldn’t get it in the goal,” Waite said.

The losing streak carried into the earlier portion of league play. “We came back in the second round and beat all of them,” Waite said. “It was great.”

The victories included a 1-0 overtime triumph against San Pasqual November 7 to close out the regular season. Hillary Price scored the goal against the Golden Eagles with Savannah Saunders receiving the assist.

Fallbrook also defeated Vista on the Panthers’ field. “They have turf. We don’t,” Waite said.

All five of the wins to close out the regular season were by shutout, so Fallbrook’s 3-0 win at Mission Hills in the first round of the CIF playoffs November 11 brought the shutout streak to six. Price scored two goals against the Grizzlies while Rachel Maxwell also put a ball into the net. Amber Bowman and Saunders had assists against Mission Hills, and Lauren Woods recorded her 12th shutout of the season.

Fallbrook then faced Avocado League champion San Pasqual in the CIF quarterfinals November 13 at San Pasqual. Fallbrook’s win in the regular-season finale gave the Golden Eagles a 16-4 overall record and a 7-1 league mark entering the playoffs, but the Warriors gave San Pasqual one more defeat with a 2-1 playoff victory.

The teams were tied 1-1 in the first half, with Whitney Worley scoring Fallbrook’s goal and Katelin Peterson scoring for San Pasqual. The Warriors captured the game with a second-half goal by Kandace Kooyman off an assist from Maxwell. Woods made 13 saves against the Golden Eagles.

The win over San Pasqual gave the Warriors a playoff match at La Costa Canyon. The Mavericks led 2-1 at halftime and advanced to the finals with a 4-1 victory. Lydia Brambilla scored Fallbrook’s goal while Andrea Monson had the assist.

“That’s okay. I was happy,” Waite said of reaching the semifinals before being eliminated. “I was just so pleased with the girls.”

The playoff loss closed out the high school careers of nine Fallbrook seniors.

Seven of Fallbrook’s losses were by one goal. Nine matches were decided by 1-0 scores. “It was just amazing,” Waite said.

“I was very pleased to see their heart, to see them want to succeed so much,” Waite said of her team. “It was just a pleasure to work with them.”