SERVICE ORIENTED: Stuart Country Day School field hockey player Sam Servis surveys the action in a game earlier this season. Senior midfielder and co-captain Servis has been a steadying force for Stuart this season. The Tartans, who fell to 0-5 with a 4-0 loss to Notre Dame last Saturday, host Blair Academy on September 23, WW/P-S on September 26, and Hun on September 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Although the Stuart Country Day School field hockey team has gotten off to a 0-5 start this season, Missy Bruvik is far from discouraged.

“I think what is exciting is that we have kids who are learning and each game we take something from it,” said Stuart head coach Bruvik.

“We have a tough schedule to do it with, which I hope will pay off in the end.”

An example of the Stuart learning curve came when the team battled hard in a 2-1 defeat to Pennington on September 12, a day after losing 2-0 to Princeton Day School.

“We changed our system,” said Bruvik. “We looked to put our kids who have a little bit more varsity experience in our midfield and backfield to help direct the younger kids which I thought paid off. I think right now it is really a matter of meshing together.”

Things are meshing in the midfield as two seniors, Tori Hannah and Sam Servis, are leading the way along with junior Izzy Engel.

“Tori is in the midfield; she can play anywhere on the field,” said Bruvik. “Sam has some of the best stick work on the team, she is smart, she sees the field so we have bumped her back to midfield on the left. She is one of our best low defenders. Izzy looks very good. All of them in the midfield, Izzy, Sam, and Tori, have the green light to go to the goal.”

On attack, senior Cate Donahue, sophomore Elle Wigder, and junior Rachel Asir have had some good moments.

“We have got Cate Donahue on attack, we moved her into the middle of the field so she can see the ball more,” said Bruvik, whose attack unit also includes sophomore Catharine Biava and junior Jessica D’Amico.

“Elle is a sophomore with lots of potential. She is really a committed kid to not only improving her individual skills but is also very dedicated to what the team needs. Rachel Asir is seeing a lot of time on the forward line, she is a speedy junior.”

The Stuart defense is spearheaded by a pair of sophomores Maddie Michaels and Ali Hannah together with freshman Priscilla Francois.

“On the back line, we have Maddie Michaels, who has improved tremendously, going to camps,” said Bruvik, who is also using junior Sophia Jeannes on defense.

“She has really developed a great game sense and she is smart on the ball. She is probably the most improved player since we started preseason. We put Ali Hannah in the middle in the back and she has done a nice job on the one-on-ones. She has seen a lot of one on ones and she has handled it pretty well. I have a freshman, Priscilla Francois, who is doing a dynamite job; she is another kid who is learning the game.”

Junior Alexxa Newman and sophomore Sam Johnson have been doing a solid job as a goalie tandem.

“Both keepers, Alexxa Newman and Sam Johnson, are seeing varsity level play for the first time and they are stepping up,” said Bruvik.

As Bruvik looks ahead, she acknowledges that her squad has to step up more in terms of offensive production.

“The kids we have are committed and we will continue to adjust our system,” said Bruvik, whose team hosts Blair Academy on September 23, WW/P-S on September 26, and Hun on September 29.

“We clearly need to work on scoring in the circle. We are not generating enough corners. We are not having enough circle play to earn corners so that is something we have to really work on.”