SUPER SAVER: Stuart Country Day School field hockey goalie Najma Tahiry guards the cage in a game this fall. Senior Tahiry made 230 saves in her first year playing at goalie. Tahiry’s heroics helped start go 5-13-1 this fall. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)

By Bill Alden

Although the Stuart Country Day School field hockey team went 0-8-1 in its last nine games this fall, its players kept fighting to the end.

“We had trouble finishing,” said Stuart head coach Missy Bruvik, whose team posted a final record of 5-13-1. “It was tough but a lot of credit to all of the kids. They hung in there every single game.”

The heroics of senior goalie Najma Tahiry helped Stuart hang in there as she made 230 saves in her first year playing the position.

“We lost big to a couple of schools but even in those games there were times where she made saves and it was all three of the coaches, we are looking at each other like did you just see that because they were spectacular,” said Bruvik. “There were times where it was one after the other. She became fearless and did as much as she possibly could.”

Senior star Abby Chirik did a lot, starring all over the field as she helped spearhead the Tartan defense and also scored a team-high nine goals and added two assists.

“In every game, Abby took some hard balls off the body on shots or corners, thankfully they weren’t any season-ending injuries,” said Bruvik, noting that the squad suffered some key injuries that left her with hardly anyone on the bench for several games. “She is just tough, she plays tough. She did as much as she could on defense but also ended up being our leading scorer. We had her on corners and she did a great job at getting shots off on corners when we were able to capitalize to get a corner.”

Bruvik credited her senior captains, Nana Akua Ken-Kwofie, Tahiry, and Chirik with providing some great leadership as the squad navigated through the ups and downs this fall.

“Our captains Abby, Nana, and Najma did a great job keeping the team focused and making sure that everyone played hard and with grit for 60 minutes each game,” said Bruvik, whose senior group also included Jada Hutchinson, Hadelyn Martinez Cambrero, Sami Feldman, and Gloria Wang. “They kept everybody up all season which is not easy to do. They just focused on the idea that we have a lot of games left so let’s focus on the endurance that we are going to need, not just physically but mentally and emotionally to keep going. With kids out with injuries, there were kids that knew they were going to have to step up and maybe play in places they didn’t expect to be playing.”

Bruvik credited her players with being sponges when it came to sharpening their knowledge of the game.

“Overall it was knowledge of the game, continuing to learn roles and what to do in certain situations,” said Bruvik.“Like we don’t have this coming out of that backfield, what are our options. It was learning the game and always asking questions which was really good.”

The Tartans gained some valuable lessons as they took on some formidable competition.

“The kids that are coming back are going to have a good experience not just this year but even last year,” said Bruvik, whose group of returners includes junior Betsy Murphy (1 goal this fall) along with sophomores Alex Janiszewski (1 goal), Karina Hannawacker, Elaina Ryan (2 goals), Zoe McDonald (1 assist), and Maddie Morrison (1 assist). “A couple of freshmen that we had this year, Azara Broughton and Ava Teti, did a great job. They learned a lot. They got to compete and see some really high-level hockey down at the end when we played some of the tougher prep teams and in the tournament.”

In Bruvik’s view, her players displayed a lot of character in the way they dealt with the tough times they encountered this fall.

“I am just really proud of them,” said Bruvik. “It wasn’t a large team and having some setbacks throughout the year, the way they pulled together and stayed together is really a great credit to who they are as student-athletes and teammates.”