Bittersweet ending for North Allegheny field hockey seniors

By: John Grupp
Saturday, November 2, 2024 | 11:01 AM

When North Allegheny field hockey coach Michelle Kessler asked her seniors in August what they hoped to accomplish this season, their answer was short and sweet.

“Have fun.”

“They definitely held true to that,” Kessler said. “Even at times when we may not have gotten the outcome that we wanted in games, we found a way the next day at practice to have a little bit of fun.”

The joy ended with a 1-0 loss at No. 2-seeded Mt. Lebanon in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals on Oct. 24, but not before the No. 3 Tigers collected a host of memorable victories, laughs and precious moments.

“This season was different than any of my four years playing at NA because I’ve been with this group of seniors since middle school,” all-WPIAL center midfielder Mia Brinkley said. “This year was much more of a personal connection. It was really something special, and it was definitely something I’ll miss.”

Brinkley, who started every game for four years, is one of eight seniors who played their final high school game in the loss to Mt. Lebanon. After the horn sounded, the Tigers (8-11) reflected on a season that included an early 2-1 victory over WPIAL Class 2A finalist Fox Chapel, a 1-0 win at Magnificat (Ohio), a game on the University of Michigan’s field, an emotional milestone for star goalkeeper Kayla Joyce and countless other happy, bonding moments.

“We all sat together after walking off the field together for the last time,” Brinkley said of the playoff loss. “We were talking about how this wasn’t exactly how we planned it, but we didn’t want this moment to define our season. We know we will look back on the memories. At the time it felt like a hard loss, but we knew we had done so much more throughout the season and that was something we needed to be proud of.”

Joining Brinkley in the senior class were forwards Josie Schomburg and Elizabeth Petschke, midfielders Bailey Yatcko and Ryann Snowden, defenders Eliana Jones and Gabby Hazard and Northwestern-bound Joyce.

The seniors, most of whom have played together since seventh grade, went a combined 41-33-3 with a pair of WPIAL Class 3A championship game appearances. Seven of their 11 losses this season were to WPIAL powers Pine-Richland and Mt. Lebanon. North Alle­gheny went 0-4 against Mt. Lebanon, losing by a combined six goals.

“This group of seniors really did put forth their best effort and gave it all they had,” Kessler said. “They truly were the core of the team this year.”

Joyce posted six shutouts in her final season before heading to Northwestern, one of the nation’s top field hockey programs. She had a career-high 48 saves in the victory at Magnificat (Ohio) and recorded her 500th career save in a Sept. 26 loss to five-time defending WPIAL champion Pine-Richland.

“She is unbelievable,” Kessler said. “She is hands down the best player I have ever coached. I’m super excited to see how she does going forward in the Big Ten.”

Brinkley scored 11 goals, giving her 28 for her career, and Schomburg scored 10 goals to finish with 31. Sophomore Addison Burns, who netted a team-high 14 goals, will be one of six returning letter-winners, including the Tigers’ rookie of the year, sophomore defender Alexa Volk.

Off the field, the Tigers built memories during out-of-state bus trips to Ohio and Michigan, pasta dinners, kickball games, a team-wide trek to a nearby Mexican restaurant and an August pool party hosted by Joyce.

“They have fun,” Kessler said. “It reminds them that at the end of the day, these are memories they will always have from their high school field hockey days.”

Tags: North Allegheny