Win at Helix gives Warriors first field hockey win over San Diego Section team

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Fallbrook High School’s field hockey team began the 2022 season with a 1‑2 record, and the win was against Great Oak, which is in the CIF Southern Section. The Warriors then traveled to Helix for a Sept. 6 match, and a 1-0 win gave Fallbrook the team’s first victory this season against a CIF San Diego Section opponent.

“They did great,” said Fallbrook coach Debbie Berg.

Each field hockey team has 11 players on the field at a time. Fallbrook’s varsity roster consists of 14 girls. Two of the players were ill Sept. 6 and Mallory Sehnert missed the game for a Future Farmers of America event, so the Warriors had no substitutes when they defeated Helix.

“Everybody stepped up to play a tough game,” Berg said. “They ran and ran and ran until they couldn’t run anymore.”

The lack of substitutes also forced some of the Fallbrook players to play new positions. “I’m really proud of how each one of them stepped up to fill in the gap,” Berg said.

“Very few were in their normal positions, especially in our corners,” Berg said. “They were learning on the go.”

Last year, the Warriors traveled to Helix and the Highlanders obtained a 4‑1 victory. Eight of Fallbrook’s 2021 starters are on this year’s team. Helix only returned six varsity players from last year, and none of those scored in last year’s game against Fallbrook.

One of Helix’s returning players is goalkeeper Rasma Rostart, who made eight saves in three quarters against Fallbrook last year. This year, the Warriors forced Rostart to make 10 saves and took 20 shots altogether. The Warriors had taken 17 shots by the end of the third quarter.

Helix only had one shot Sept. 6, and that was in the second quarter. That shot was not on goal, so Fallbrook goalkeeper Myah Pack had no saves against the Highlanders. The shutout was the second in a row for Pack and the Warriors, whose Sept. 1 home game against Great Oak ended as a 9-0 victory.

“Getting a shutout just means your defense is great. It’s a whole team game, not just one part, but a shutout is definitely a win,” Pack said.

Paige Abeyta, Kim Enciso, Aylin Ramirez, and Hazel Rodriguez were Fallbrook’s defenders. “They were a wall,” Berg said. “I was impressed with them.”

Ramirez is a freshman, although her sister Cassie played field hockey for Fallbrook before her graduation in June. “I felt like my defense was really good,” Ramirez said.

“I feel pretty good about it,” Abeyta said of Fallbrook’s defensive performance. “We had good communication.”

The only goal occurred 5:27 into the game. Gianna Alvarez‑Lindenmayer passed to Lucy Loomis, who placed the ball between Rostart and the side of the net. “She was in the perfect space,” Alvarez‑Lindenmayer said.

Loomis gives Alvarez-Lindenmayer credit not only for the pass but for causing the Helix defense to be positioned where they couldn’t stop Loomis’ shot. “I think Gianna did a good job pulling the girls out,” Loomis said.

The goal was the only shot by either team during the first quarter.

Fallbrook co-coach Collin Kooyman noted that the Warriors played their defense higher against Helix. “We were able to keep the pressure off the goalie,” he said.

A 2-1 home loss Aug. 30 against Rancho Bernardo preceded the win over Great Oak. “We’re playing some tough teams,” Berg said.

Fallbrook will open Palomar League competition Sept. 30 at home against San Pasqual. “Our goal is to win league,” Berg said. “We’re not in league yet, but we’re getting ready.”