Lakeland senior Gianna Santini and freshman teammate Allie Waters each recorded hat tricks, with Waters recording the first of her varsity career, in a 9-0 Lakeland victory against visiting Fox Lane on Sept. 8.
“Our chemistry and communication played a huge role,” Santini said. “We were finding each other really well and taking advantage of the opportunities our teammates created for us. Having everyone working together and moving the ball made it easier for us to get into good positions offensively.”
Waters said recording her first varsity hat trick meant a lot to her.
“My teammates continue to put me in a good position to score and our strong press allowed me to get good opportunities in front of the goal,” Waters said.
Waters said playing with a player as experienced as Santini has taught her so much about the game.
“She has a very high field hockey IQ and is a great leader for our team,” Waters said.
Santini said she definitely feels like it’s part of her role as a senior to help the younger girls like Waters whenever she can.
“I try to lead by example, but I also want them to know they can always come to me for advice or help,” Santini said. “Allie has been playing really well, and it’s been awesome seeing her come in as a freshman and contribute so much to the team. I just try to encourage her and the other underclassmen, help them feel confident, and pass along anything I’ve learned throughout my time playing.”
Lakeland jumped out to a 4-0 first-quarter lead, with Santini scoring twice along with goals from Waters and Gabby Goldstein.
“We came out really strong and aggressive from the start,” Santini said. “We moved the ball well, communicated with each other, and put a lot of pressure on Fox Lane’s defense. We were able to capitalize on our opportunities and build an early lead.”
Lakeland extended its advantage to 7-0 at halftime with three second-quarter goals, tallied by Aditi Parambath (1G, 2A), Waters, then Santini.
“It was very important to extend the lead going into halftime so that we could continue the momentum and high energy for the second half,” Waters said. “We were able to accomplish that by communicating with each other, our unselfish passes and our trust in each other on the field.”
Riley Waters (2A), Nikki Santini (1G), Kendal Williams (1A) and Meaghan Heyde (1A) also produced offensively for a Lakeland squad that registered 24 shots on goal, with Olivia O’Connor and Ali Castro combining for the shutout in goal.
With the win, Lakeland has outscored its opposition 27-0 and improved its record to 3-0.
“We’ve been working really hard together and trusting each other,” Santini said. “Our team chemistry has been great, and everyone has been committed to doing their job and playing for each other. We’ve also been able to come out strong in each game and keep the energy up, which has helped us get off to a great start.”
Lakeland will next play at Carmel at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11.
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