TARTAN PRIDE: Members of the Stuart Country Day School field hockey team celebrate after scoring a goal against Allentown in the Mercer County Tournament semifinals last Thursday night. Seventh-seeded Stuart upset the third-seeded Redbirds 4-0 to make the final for the first time since 2008. Two days later, the Tartans went on to fall 1-0 to top-seeded and four-time defending country champion Lawrenceville in the final. This week, Stuart will pursue another title as it competes in the state Prep B tourney. The third-seeded Tartans topped Newark Academy 3-0 in an opening round contest last Monday to improve to 11-3-1 and will play at second-seeded Princeton Day School in the semis on October 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Missy Bruvik wasn’t sure that she had the pieces in place to mold the Stuart Country Day School field hockey team into a championship contender as the squad hit the field for preseason this August.

Missing players due to injury, travel, and other commitments, Stuart had only 11 or 12 people show up for some training sessions.

But once the school year started, things started to look up for the Tartans as the roster filled out.

“We have 19, that is our number; we don’t have a JV this year, we are just one team that works hard,” said longtime Stuart head coach Bruvik.

“They are the greatest kids ever in terms of working hard everyday. Their chemistry is unbelievable and I credit that to our captains and our upperclassmen.”

Utilizing that work ethic and chemistry, seventh-seeded Stuart made an unlikely run through the Mercer County Tournament. The Tartans started the competition by beating 10th-seeded WW/P-North 3-0 in the first round and then stunned second-seeded Lawrence 2-1 in the quarters before toppling third-seed Allentown 4-0 in the semis last Thursday to earn a shot at perennial champion Lawrenceville in the title game.

“You get an opportunity at the Mercer County Tournament, you get an opportunity on the state tournament and to be in the final two, check that box,” said Bruvik.

“We know there are so many other teams that would like to be here too, so for us to have made this run at this time, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

While the run ended with a 1-0 loss to the Big Red as they earned their fourth straight county crown, Stuart was scrappy from the opening whistle to the end of the contest.

“I thought tonight we got some more opportunities; they are good, so for us to get corners on them and generate some attack I was really proud of us,” said Bruvik.

“We said it is about being relentless, we have worked hard to beat the other team to the ball. It is just get to the ball first and then it is knowing what to do with it. Those are stepping stones, especially with the younger kids.”

In Bruvik’s view, the play of sophomore Kaitlyn Magnani exemplified Stuart’s all out effort.

“Kaitlyn has big games for us every game,” said Bruvik. “She is so smart on the field and so skilled. She is only a sophomore. I am thrilled that she is going to be back; she leads by example everyday with her work ethic.”

Bruvik is thrilled by her team’s progress this fall. “It was a gradual thing, there were games that we won 1-0 where we found a way to win even though sometimes we didn’t feel that we play our best,” said Bruvik.

“We thought ‘let’s continue to work on that.’ Then there are other games where we just put the ball in the cage like we did Thursday night (in a 4-0 win over third-seeded Allentown in the MCT semis). We finished.”

In the wake of the loss to Lawrenceville, Bruvik’s squad is looking to finish the fall on a high note as Stuart goes for a Prep B title in a competition where it is seeded third and topped Newark Academy 3-0 in an opening round contest last Monday.

“I think after tonight’s performance by them, they will be ready,” said Bruvik, whose team, now 11-3-1, will play at second-seeded Princeton Day School in the semis on October 23. “They will say we didn’t get this one, but we have got one more title to shoot for.”

No matter what happens in the Prep B tourney, it has been a great ride this fall for Bruvik as her players have come together on and off the field.

“When I say to you that they have each other’s backs, they have each other’s back every day at practice and in every drill,” said Bruvik.

“I think that is why we have been so successful. The attack and the defense go against each other every day and we go as hard as we can. They know that is all in the spirit of the game, and that makes everyone better. They thrive on it because they like each other. They like each other during the school day, not just on the field.”