Lebanon
But once the game started, there was almost nothing to worry about.
Lebanon senior forward Leah Mayes scored all three goals in a 3-0 victory, two on plays from the corner in the first half that the speedy forward tipped in at the side of the net. Midfielders Katie Berthasavage and Emily Hunnewell finished with two assists each.
New coach? No problem. Veteran head coach Deb Beach might not be on the bench anymore, but this is still Lebanon field hockey and everything that comes with it: an experienced group of athletes used to dealing with expectations.
“It was awesome. It was absolutely awesome,” said Valliere, a Lebanon graduate who took over the program in the spring. “I thought the girls played really well. … I think it took us a little bit to get into it. But I thought their passing was phenomenal. Offensively, they communicate really well with each other and they work with space really well together. … It’s a really nice dynamic in the offensive set.
“We’ll work on our defense a little bit,” she added. “There are always things to work on. But overall, it was a great performance, and I think the girls should be really proud of themselves.”
Valliere considers herself a defensive coach. At least, she holds her defense to a higher standard than her forwards. But Tuesday’s win was a showcase of offensive chemistry.
Lebanon opened the scoring with 12 minutes, 48 seconds remaining in the first half, finally cashing in after a string of five corners and nearly eight full minutes of offensive pressure deep in Merrimack Valley’s half. Hunnewell regained control of a loose ball and found Berthasavage at the edge of the circle, who sent a deflectable ball across the goal for Mayes to tip in.
Lebanon ran the same play off a corner eight minutes later: Hunnewell to Berthasavage to Mayes. The Raiders took a comfortable 2-0 lead into halftime.
“The three of us have played together for a long time now,” Mayes said. “Emily is actually my first cousin, so we’ve been playing together our whole lives. And Katie’s been playing with us since we were in third or fourth grade. I think that definitely helps how well we connect on the field.”
Hunnewell and Mayes connected again in the second half to give the Raiders insurance. Hunnewell, a shifty ball handler, dodged three defenders before sending a crossing pass through a cluster of legs and sticks to a wide-open Mayes, who pushed in her third goal of the game.
“I whiffed (the crossing pass) at first,” Hunnewell admitted. “I was surprised (that the pass got through to Mayes). The first time didn’t work out too well.”
Lebanon put 10 shots on goal and had 10 corners in the victory. Valliere said it was the kind of performance she’s come to expect from her offense.
“We’ve seen it in our scrimmages and in our jamborees,” she said. “We kind of rely on that.”
Mayes said she’s noticed some differences, between the two coaches but whatever changes she’s observed have been positive.
“Our practices are run very differently than they were with (Beach),” Mayes said. “But we all really connect with (Valliere) really well. I think she’s a great coach.
“I think it’s still Lebanon field hockey,” she added. “It’s still just as intense.”
For Valliere, who took over the program in the spring, getting the first win out of the way was an important step in establishing herself as the team’s new coach.
But she admitted she’s not trying to reinvent the game or, more importantly, establish her own coaching philosophies by starting from scratch. Valliere is inheriting one of Lebanon’s most stable athletic programs. The Raiders have been guided by a steady hand for years. All she needs to do is keep the ball rolling.
“Deb Beach was a legend at Lebanon High School,” Valliere said. “I want to do her legacy proud, and I want to do the Lebanon community proud. This group of girls, it’s hard not to love what you’re doing.”
Lebanon (1-0) travels to Derryfield on Thursday.
Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.