Wins and losses typically tell the story of how well a team performs in a given season, but for the athletes on the Westbrook-Old Lyme (W-OL) co-op field hockey team, last year’s record is just a bunch of numbers that they’re leaving in the past. This year, longtime Head Coach Janet Dickey is looking to build the Knights’ field hockey program back up into a contender at both the Shoreline Conference and state levels.

W-OL is getting ready to begin its 2022 campaign with a road game against North Branford on Thursday, Sept. 8. Coach Dickey’s squad will then open a three-game homestand that features matchups versus Killingly on Saturday, Sept. 10, Old Saybrook on Tuesday, Sept. 13, and Valley Regional on Friday, Sept. 16.

Last year, W-OL finished its season with an overall record of 4-13 and took a defeat versus Valley Regional in the semifinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament. The young club was led by captains Samantha Nunez, who has graduated; and Delaney Belcourt, who will once again be leading the team as a senior after having previously served as a junior captain.

Coach Dickey feels that the 2021 season was a stepping stone toward the potential success that the Knights are capable of achieving in the current campaign.

“Last year was a great year for the Old Lyme kids to learn the game and learn the basics and for [Westbrook’s student-athletes] to review the basics,” Coach Dickey said. “This year, they’ve got more experience under the belt and have generated a lot of interest at Old Lyme.”

Nunez was the only senior on last year’s team. This season, the Knights’ captains are Belcourt, a Westbrook student; and Kylie Dishaw, a senior from Old Lyme. Belcourt earned All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors while leading the Knights’ offense last season. Coach Dickey knows that Belcourt and Dishaw are going to be influential role models for every member of her team’s roster.

“One of the reasons why they are captains is because of their great leadership skills,” said Dickey. “I’m expecting them to take on a lot more of the teaching, leading by example, and having their hockey IQ be higher, so they could bring everyone else’s up.”

Coach Dickey will be relying on Westbrook senior Caroline Dias to anchor the Knights’ defense. Dias stepped into a defensive role for the first time last year and excelled at the position on her way to garnering All-Shoreline Conference Second Team accolades. Dickey feels confident in letting Dias take ownership of the backfield and believes that her abilities are a big reason why W-OL is set up to have a better season this year.

“She’s in charge of that backfield,” Dickey said of Dias. “She’s going to be helping to run the show from the back to the front.”

In terms of goalkeeping, Coach Dickey is still uncertain about who’s going suit up at that position for the Knights. Senior Halley Pierson has thrown her hat in the ring during the preseason and performed well between the pipes. Dickey said that she’s been pleasantly impressed with the steps that Pierson has taken in net after patrolling the midfield for her team last season.

Coach Dickey’s enthusiasm about the Knights’ senior class doesn’t stop there. Dickey is also anticipating significant contributions from Westbrook senior Myan Ngyuen, who has displayed great growth on the field through the past few seasons. The team’s senior class is rounded out by Leyonce Munoz of Old Lyme.

With a fairly small group of seniors leading the pack, Coach Dickey is expecting the Knights to receive key contributions from a class of juniors who played meaningful roles on last year’s squad. Dickey believes that the experience those athletes gained as sophomores will prove a big help for the team in 2022. The three juniors on W-OL’s roster are Abby Demers and Emma Bransfield, who are from Westbrook; and Keara Ward, who goes to Old Lyme.

Coach Dickey also feels encouraged by the presence that Westbrook freshman Brooke Oullette is displaying on the field. Dickey is expecting Oullette to take on the challenge of going up against the opposition’s top players in her effort to be a varsity regular as a freshman.

Overall, Coach Dickey feels positive about the depth that’s permeating through her program. W-OL has a strong group of substitutes that Dickey feels comfortable rolling out on the field at any moment. She’s also pleased to see the growth of the Knights’ JV program.

“The excitement is the fact that we can have a full-on JV squad and play JV games, which we haven’t had for the last 10 years or so,” said Dickey. “JV, for us, is our developmental squad. They’re the ones that are going to take over when the experienced ones on varsity go. To have that whole developmental season for them is going to be incredible.”

As her team strives to find its footing in a strong Shoreline Conference, Coach Dickey feels optimistic that this year could be the first in a string of winning seasons for the Knights. Dickey believes that Westbrook’s alliance with Old Lyme is going to play a big role in helping that goal become a reality.

“Get the best record we can is goal No. 1. Getting to the Shoreline Tournament is goal No. 2,” Dickey said. “If we can accomplish those two, then goal No. 3 should be to win a Shoreline title and see how far we can get in states.”

2022 Westbrook-Old Lyme Field Hockey Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 8: at North Branford at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 10: vs. Killingly at 11 a.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 13: vs. Old Saybrook at 4 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 16: vs. Valley Regional at 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 20: at Haddam-Killingworth at 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 22: at Morgan at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 28: at Somers-Rockville at 5 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 30: vs. North Branford at 4 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 3: at Old Saybrook at 4 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 6: at Valley Regional at 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 11: vs. Haddam-Killingworth at 4 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 13: vs. Morgan at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 15: at Killingly at 1 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 17: vs. Waterford at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 19: at Canton at 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 21: at Newington at 4 p.m.