Field hockey tends to be a sport where a lot of activity takes place at the goal.
From the various penalties and corners, the ball ends up in the face of the goalie and her defenders more often than not.
Senior goalkeeper Kim Stein has been shutting down opposing offenses throughout her career at Hopkins, and has continued to do so into this season — So far she has a .796 save percentage, having faced 225 shots.
On Saturday, Stein and the Jays faced off against Haverford in a conference matchup. She posted 14 saves, marking her fourth straight game with double digit saves.
It was a huge performance, as Hopkins used the game to stay relevant to the playoff chase.
Stein's 14 saves also came in a game where Haverford outgunned the Blue Jays during the second half, outshooting the team 18-7 and taking an advantage in corners, with 6-1. The Blue Jays had a single goal lead for most of the second half, but held on for the win.
Outside of this season, Stein has a great track record as a Hopkins goalie. Last season, she finished with a .783 save percentage (top in the conference) and ranked third in total saves.
Her 141 saves set her at having the 10th most in school history. This season she's made 117 saves with four games remaining.
Where does all this success come from? It's probably a mixture of talent and hard work. However Stein has a different opinion of her stats and achievements.
"I credit every single person on my team with my success. Without them challenging me every single day, I couldn't be as successful as I've been," the goalkeeper said.
She also credits her coach with helping to develop a lot of her skills.
"The large majority of my skills as a goalkeeper have come from my amazing goalie coach, Dave Peel. He's really talented and he's hands down the best coach I've ever had.
"He was a big part of my decision to play here and I'm so grateful to have had him as a coach for the past 4 years."
Stein was also directly involved in one of Hopkins's shutouts this season. In the game against the Washington Shorewomen, she posted 12 saves that secured a 1-0 win back in September.
So far this season, the goalie has double digit saves in seven of the Jays 13 games. She nearly made 20 saves in a match against 11th ranked Ursinus, coming away with 18, a season high.
At the beginning of the week, the Jays were 3-3 in conference play. Those numbers might give you the idea that they aren't doing that great, but don't be deceived. They were in a four-way tie for fourth place with Gettysburg, Haverford, and McDaniel.
On Tuesday, Gettysburg jumped up one game after defeating McDaniel 2-0. The Jays answered right back with a win, defeating Dickinson on Wednesday to remain in fourth.
"I think this year has definitely been very competitive for our conference, but in a way it always is. Usually the teams at conference tournament are determined in the last few weeks of season," Stein said.
"The one thing I'm happy about is that we won't have to go to Ursinus for Centennials this year."
If anything, don't count these girls out, especially with a top-caliber goalie behind them. The Centennial tournament could prove to be extremely interesting this year.
In Field Hockey, the Centennial Conference boasts some of the best teams nationally. On top of that, the Blue Jays incorporate top-ranking teams from outside into their schedule. So far this season, Stein and the Jays have seen the likes of Salisbury (1st), F&M (4th), TCNJ (5th), Ursinus (11th), Christopher Newport (14th) and Lebanon Valley (19th).
It goes without saying that Stein has seen her fair share of tough offenses. If the team wants to continue to compete into the offseason, they'll need the help of their stellar GK.
"Looking ahead to the conference tournament, we all know we need to win every game from here on out. I have the utmost faith in my team that we can make it to conference and win the whole thing as the underdogs. We have the talent and the determination."
With this being her senior season, the goalie is grateful for what she's had and hopes to finish out the season in a satisfying manner.
"Field hockey has been a huge part of my life at this school and my life at Hopkins would not have been enjoyable without it.
"The whole experience has been very valuable to me; I've made some amazing friends and learned so much," Stein said. "This season has been a bit of a roller coaster and I think it's made me and the whole team more dedicated and hardworking."
Keep watching the field for an exciting finish. Cheer on our goalie and she looks to climb even higher in Hopkins's history of Field Hockey players.
She's had an impressive career so far and the final few games will help define just what she has been – and will be – for the Blue Jays.
