In the spring of eighth grade, junior Juliet Twomey picked up a field hockey stick for the first time.

Three and a half years later, Twomey is CHS’s starting varsity goalie and a key player in the Bulldogs’ run to the state championship.

“I knew I wanted to do a fall sport at CHS because I knew it would be good introduction into high school,” Twomey said.

Field hockey was a clear choice for Twomey, as her aunt was an All-American field hockey player in college. She was originally a field player but when the varsity goalie at the time suggested that Twomey try goalie, she took to it quickly and never looked back.

Since her start on the JV team freshman year, Twomey has contributed to her team’s success, becoming varsity goalie her sophomore year and, eventually, the starting goalie this season. As part of the growth, Twomey and the team were determined to make a comeback this year, in spite of a tough loss to Richard Montgomery in their first round of playoffs last season.

“Last year we had a really talented team but we had some really significant
losses against teams that were hard to get through,” Twomey said. “Going into this season we were really motivated to take back those losses and come out really strong. I felt like it was more of a mental game than anything.”

In line with their hopes, field hockey led an undefeated season with their 16 wins, qualifying them for the state championship game, a first for CHS since 1985. Unfortunately, the team lost by 6-0 on Nov. 12.

Twomey has showed tremendous improvement over her past two years on varsity, going from 26 saves in t h e 2015 season to 68 saves in the 2016 full season. To top it off, prior to the state championship game, where the opposing team scored six goals, Twomey had only let in a total of four goals this year, two in the regular season and two in playoffs.

“I feel like I’ve matured a lot from last season to this one by just going in with the mentality that you need to put in 110 percent in practice and in games,” Twomey said.

At the end of the season, Twomey received the defensive MVP award. Not only does the team value Twomey’s success of her skills, but also the sense of security she provides.

“When Juliet is in goal, everyone is relaxed,” senior field hockey captain and midfielder Lauren Lipson said. “We know that she is in control and can do her job, which she has been doing all season.”

Coach Cay Miller has high expectations of the team and she has watched Twomey carry them out.

“A big theme for us this season has been focusing on what you can control and playing in the moment,” Miller said. “Juliet is a level-headed individual, and one of her strengths is projecting calmness while communicating with clarity.”

“The best part about working with Juliet is that she always reassures you no matter what,” Lipson said. “Even if we take a bad shot on goal during practice or the team scores on us, she always says that it’s okay and that we can do it.”

What Twomey values most about playing is the irreplaceable friendships she has made, something she attributes to shared dedication.

“The friendships that I’ve made are the best part of playing,” Twomey said. “There are tons of people in other grades I wouldn’t be close with if I didn’t practice six days a week and go through intense training and preseason with [them].”

Twomey brings to the table a set of unique qualities that intimidates the opponent while building up her team.

“Her ability to keep her cool is an asset for us because very often opposing teams listen for signs of weakness they can take advantage of,” Miller said. “Sometimes you can hear if a team is panicked. When Juliet communicates, our opponents hear confidence.”