We will bounce back!

The Martlets opened the game with tremendous intensity, matching Choate’s energy and competing hard during the first several minutes. As the game progressed, however, Choate began to control possession, which put pressure on our defensive structure and made it difficult for us to establish our rhythm. Despite this, there were several strong individual performances that showed the potential of our team. Brooks Berthiaume ‘27 stood out in the first half with several impressive runs from his defensive position, consistently looking to push the ball forward and contribute to the attack. Calvin Bixby ‘28 also covered a tremendous amount of ground in the midfield, which was often open, and showed great determination to move the ball forward whenever possible. Although the Martlets continued to battle, we struggled to control the tempo and Choate was able to capitalize with three goals in the first half. What was especially encouraging, however, was the response from the boys after halftime. The team came out with greater commitment, energy, and purpose. Luke Champoux ‘28 helped raise the intensity across the field with his relentless tackling and willingness to compete for every ball. Jordan Pham ‘27  provided important stability to the defensive structure alongside Arda Senecal ‘30, while also helping move the ball forward and transition the team into attack.

The second half was a significant improvement. The Martlets defended with greater organization, competed more consistently, and began to control more of the game. The boys did an excellent job holding Choate back and showed much more confidence in their ability to play through pressure. Choate eventually found the net again with a well-placed header, but the final score did not diminish the progress the Martlets showed throughout the second half. Most importantly, the boys maintained a positive spirit and remained together despite the result. Given the very short turnaround between our practices and game day, there were many encouraging signs of growth. The team has already shown that it can respond to adversity, raise its level of play, and compete with greater organization and confidence. There is a lot to build on moving forward, and the boys left the field optimistic about what is ahead. With continued effort, communication, and commitment in practice, this group has every reason to believe that future wins are within reach.The Grit and Grace Award is presented to Allen Alava ‘28 in recognition of his confidence, leadership, and ability to inspire team spirit through his constant encouragement of his teammates.