Last year the girl’s field hockey team dominated nearly everyone they faced. After the first few games during the start of their 2015 season, questions are on the rise for how well the team will do this year.

Senior Ryley Miller believes that the teams they have competed against are challenging rivals, and that the Girl’s Field Hockey team has competed well against them.

“Our schedule is really front heavy,” Miller said. “So while our record doesn’t reflect that we may be off to a good start, I do believe we are.”

Much like Miller, sophomore Sophia Swalley is keeping a positive outlook towards the season.

“We started the season with a rocky start,” Swalley said. “We played some very tough teams. Now things are looking very good for us. We have been working hard, correcting our mistakes, and keeping our heads up.”

On Sept. 1, the Lady Tigers took University City, 6-0. Goals were scored by sophomore Natalie Nava, junior Anna Mulford, senior Claire Smith, sophomore Ansley Dorsey, and junior Olivia Fink.

“We always push each other through a tough game or practice,” Dorsey said. “We set goals for our team every game or practice and we always do whatever we can to achieve them.”

On Sept. 4, the girls were defeated by DuPont Manual 0-1. The next day, the team fell 1-3 to Cor Jesu, and to New Trier 0-1.

“Our weaknesses are probably getting down or upset with a loss instead of fighting back twice as hard, but I think since the beginning of the season we have improved on that a lot,” Dorsey said.

According to Miller, both defense and offense have some work to do. However, multiple sophomores are starting this season and stepping into roles as needed, as well as other underclassmen.

These girls include Swalley as defensive, sophomore Allie Hosto as midfield, Dorsey and Nava, both as forwards, and freshman Anna Farrar.

The girls believe that the season will pick up as the more games are played throughout the oncoming season.

According to Nava, a strength that will help contribute to a successful season is that the team gets along and it transfers over to the field.

“We’ve really come together as a team and have begun to play at our top game,” Nava said. “I think we are going to do really well.”

“We are showing a lot of potential and improving with every game,” Miller said.