High stickers

Bryce Alderton

A rush of adrenaline in the first half combined with a swarming

defense in the second half created the ideal combination for Newport

Harbor High’s field hockey team to continue their undefeated ways.

And the Sailors (7-0-2, 4-0-1 in the Sunset League) did so in

fashion, shutting out visiting Fountain Valley, 4-0, for their

seventh shutout of the season Thursday at Harper Community Center.

The Sailors used four different goal scorers while only allowing

one Baron shot .

“In the first half we gave great support and pushed the ball up

front,” said Newport Harbor Coach Sharon Wolfe. “We were a little

sluggish the second half. They need to be more patient and need to

react quicker once a shot is passed out. But we definitely worked

well covering and hovering around the ball in the second half.”

Virtually every time a Fountain Valley forward crossed midfield, a

Newport defender darted to steal the ball or deter the opponent away

from the ball.

Junior Dana Ovad stopped several attack chances in the first half

with her defense and Kaley Nix ran to control possession of the ball

on Fountain Valley breaks.

Newport goalkeeper Amanda Wittman made one save and now has five

shutouts in league and seven overall.

Newport’s defensive wall set the stage for the offense to take

charge, and take charge they did. Newport outshot the Barons 11-1 and

had 13 corners to Fountain Valley’s four.

Two of the Sailors’ goals came within 10 yards of the net as

players from both teams swung their sticks to try to gain control of

the ball.

The Sailors scored two goals on seven shots in the first half as

Jillian Whitfield found Allison Rawlins in front of the net to put

the ball in goal for the Sailors’ first goal in the 11th minute.

Nearly three minutes later Rachel Furman passed to Chanelle

Sladics, who withstood a flurry of Fountain Valley defenders

attempting to swipe the ball out of the zone, and slapped a shot by

the goalkeeper for a 2-0 Newport lead.

Aggressive defense by Furman ignited a Sailor charge with 17

minutes left in the second half. Kirsten Chamberlain crossed to Alyse

Vultee, standing 10 yards away from the goal, and Vultee rifled the

ball into the net to put Newport up, 3-0.

The Sailors scored their fourth goal off a corner as Cristina

Barbatti passed at the top of the penalty circle to Whitfield on the

wing. Whitfield took control of the ball with her back to a defender,

spun to her right and flicked a backhanded shot into the goal.

Fountain Valley, 1-4-1 in league, has improved from when the two

teams met in a scrimmage that Newport won, Wolfe said.

“(Goalie Denise Chanel) has improved a lot,” Wolfe said.

“With each passing game, players are getting more experience,”

said six-year Barons’ coach Rui Saldanha. “We don’t have a big summer

program so it takes about a month to learn how to play properly.”

Though Newport hasn’t lost a game this season, the Sailors are

still looking up at Edison and Santa Ana, both undefeated and at the

top of the standings with Edison and Santa Ana having one tie against

Newport Harbor. Edison and Santa Ana haven’t played each other yet.

Nonetheless, Wolfe likes where her team is in the standings.

“We’re where we need to be,” she said.