The Cardinal Gibbons field hockey team, reigning 2023 State Champions, were primed to kick off the playoffs with a first round match against Carrboro. High off adrenaline from their win from last year, the team is rushed with excitement.
In the regular season, this powerhouse group of girls had logged a record of 12-3, with a perfect in-conference record.
“The success of our team in the regular season is coming from our commitment to the sport and each other, as well as all the hard work we do in practice. We hope to continue this dedication into the playoffs,” said senior captain and Catholic commit Maddie Pennisi.
Breezing past Carborro on Monday with a score of 10-0, this team met their next competition, East Chapel Hill, on Thursday. They play in the state championship which will be hosted at Page High School in Greensboro on Nov. 2.
Before the playoffs started, this team traveled to Pennsylvania to battle the No. 1 team in the nation, which helped grow their game and prepare for the long journey of games ahead of them.
“It was super cool to be able to travel up to Philly as a team for the first time and play some of the best competition in the country,” senior Rocky Phelps said. “Playing against those harder teams earlier on in the season really helped us improve and realize our potential. Even though we lost those games, they were super close and we came off of them with a lot of newfound confidence. That confidence carried over into the rest of our conference season, leading to another conference championship and our placement at the one seed for playoffs.”
Phelps, a dual-sport athlete and senior captain Army lacrosse commit, voiced how she cannot wait for a one last ride with the team during her last season during the field hockey playoffs.
“The playoffs are the opportunity we’ve been waiting for to show off all that work we’ve put in,” she said. “It being my last season of field hockey ever, I really want to get the job done now more than ever. After winning the first field hockey state championship in school history last year we all came into the season chasing that feeling.”
The excitement has begun to fuel the motivation of this team to hopefully bring home another ring. Now looking back on the regular season, there are high hopes for those within the team.
“The season was so good considering we had a lot of new people and we all got along very well,” said freshman Kacy Buckle. “Aside from the athletic talent on the field, the girls on the team are so special. They always say ‘Hi’ to me in the hallways and it makes me feel known.”
Sisterhood
“We have such a tight bond, it’s so awesome to be a part of such a great group of girls. We really clicked right from the beginning of the season and how well we get along off the field has carried over to our play on the field too,” said Phelps.
Winning the championship would be so much more than a title and adding more fame to their beloved lesser known sport. It would represent all the hard work, dedication, and sisterhood that this team has sparked.
“I look forward to practicing every day because I know every single one of those girls makes me laugh so hard. It’s such a bittersweet feeling to love this team so much, knowing mine and Maddie’s time is running out here,” Phelps said. “I know a year from now and beyond I’m going to look back on the team all the way from my freshman year to now and remember how much I loved all these girls.”
Hopefully, this will be a day all the girls remember.
“I am so excited for this. Our team is just awesome,” said junior UNC commit Molly Nussbaumer
