The Season Highlights

This year was Tess Ellis's 9th season as head coach for the William & Mary Field Hockey Program. It was one filled with top twenty-five competitions including six of nine non-conference games against top twenty programs. The team was beyond excited to play after a short five-game season in spring 2021 and a canceled fall 2020 season. We opened the season with a spark against #16 Penn State and scored two phenomenal goals early in the first half. We fought tooth and nail against 2021 national runner-up Liberty and #18 Duke.

On the first fall weekend of October, we went 2-0 in conference in stellar fashion. We won our first and only shoot out of the season to beat Hofstra and then took care of business on Sunday with a win against Northeastern. Our shutout at Drexel clinched our third-place ranking in the CAA regular-season schedule, and earned us a spot in the CAA Championship Tournament.

"Our trips often had many moments of team karaoke on the bus, walks near and around our hotels, and of course, Dunkin Donuts stops! '

Much of October was spent on the road, and the team had many great opportunities for team bonding. We had some amazing dinners this year highlighted by the Friedman's hosting us in Maryland and the Curran's doing the same after that spectacular win against Drexel. We spent a day exploring the delights of Reading Terminal Market - its diversity of food, delicious coffee, and other novelties that caught our eyes. Our trips often had many moments of team karaoke on the bus, walks near and around our hotels, and of course, Dunkin Donuts stops!

We wrapped the season with a touch loss in the CAA Championship Tournament semi-final game versus Delaware, but we will be back stronger in the fall 2022 season because of the experience we have gained. We want to give a special thank you and shout out to our three seniors whom we will greatly miss next season, but have helped to grow the next generation of program leaders.