Grumman controls midfield for Sailors

It’s Sasha Grumman’s job to play stellar defense, control the

midfield and set up goals for the Newport Harbor High field hockey

team. But don’t blame her if she chooses to do a bunch of scoring as

well.

Grumman opened up Sunset League action with a bang last week,

scoring two goals in the team’s 7-0 win over Fountain Valley last

Tuesday. She came back last Friday and scored a key goal in the

team’s 2-0 league win over Huntington Beach.

Grumman tallied three goals and three assists in the first two

league games for Newport Harbor, which has captured the Sunset League

title four out of the past five years.

“She’s great leader,” first-year coach Piper Phillips said. “She

sets the pace for the team on the field.”

Grumman was introduced to field hockey as a freshman at Newport

Harbor. She caught on quick and soon was one of the program’s top

players.

“I like how the game is quick and fast,” she said. “I’m pretty

aggressive. I go to the ball and I think I cross it well. I enjoy

taking corners.”

Grumman, a sharp all-around athlete, also plays shortstop and

second base for the Newport Harbor High softball team. The senior

co-captain was a Los Angeles Field Hockey Association Tournament of

Champions all-tourney selection last year when the Sailors reached

the finals before losing, 1-0, to Harvard-Westlake.

“She directs traffic well and plays great defense,” said Phillips,

22, who played three varsity seasons for Newport Harbor, graduating

in 2001 before attending Santa Clara University.

Newport Harbor, which lost 14 seniors from last year’s team,

suffered a setback Tuesday, getting edged by Marina, 2-1, in a Sunset

League game.

“We expected a tough game, it just didn’t work out in our favor,”

Grumman said. “If we played the first half like we did the second

half, we would have dominated the game. Next time we play them we

just have to come out strong in the beginning and don’t wait for it.”

Newport Harbor (16-4) still expects to compete for the league

title and be one of the top teams in the Tournament of Champions.

“Definitely. Especially after this game. We know we can’t just go

out there,” Grumman said. “We have to work hard.”

Sasha Grumman

Born: Nov. 27, 1987

Hometown: Newport Beach

Height: 5-foot-5

Weight: 125 pounds

Sport: Field hockey

Position: Midfielder

Coach: Piper Phillips

Favorite food: Sushi

Favorite movie: “The Notebook”

Favorite athletic moment: “When I was picked to be a part of the

all-tournament team in the Tournament of Champions.”

Week in review: Grumman helped get Newport Harbor off on the right

foot in Sunset League action. In the league opener Sept. 27, Grumman

scored two goals in the team’s 7-0 win over Fountain Valley. She came

back Sept. 30 and scored a key goal in the team’s 2-0 league win over

Huntington Beach.

Daily Pilot

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