One leads the offense. The other protects the goal. Together, senior captains Ireland Shea and Ava Grant have helped set the standard for Saint Paul field hockey this season.
Shea, a midfielder, has reached 100 career goals, scoring approximately 35 this season to go along with 15 assists, according to Saint Paul coach Aimee Lee. Grant, the Knights’ goalkeeper, recorded her 500th career save Thursday, Oct. 15, in a 3-1 victory over Monty Tech.
Shea directs the offense and creates scoring opportunities for younger teammates, while Grant organizes the defense from the goal. Their leadership and communication have helped the Knights build a cohesive team on both ends of the field.
For Lee, Shea’s value comes not only from her scoring ability but also from her ability to elevate those around her.
“She sees the net really, really well, but she can also get everyone around her better,” Lee said. “She can pass it well, and a lot of the time she shoots, so then there’s a lot of bounce back on the offense, and we just kind of keep getting it back in.”
Lee said Shea also helps guide younger players on offense, including a freshman and a sophomore who have emerged as scoring threats.
“She’s the leader, and she leads the whole offense,” Lee said. “She tells the girls where to go.”
Grant provides similar leadership on defense, where communication is essential to identifying unmarked opponents and moving the ball upfield.
“I think it’s about looking at our positioning and seeing if someone’s not marked and if we need to mark them,” Grant said. “Especially on the defensive end, I think looking to pass to the open space on the field and just talking at all times is important.”
That communication extends throughout the lineup. Shea said the offense is most effective when the forwards and midfielders work together to maintain possession and create scoring opportunities.
“We do a lot of passing, and I think we communicate really well,” Shea said. “Our forward and midfield work together, pass it up and back, and it helps us kind of weave through the defense.”
Grant said she has seen improvements in the team’s ability to move the ball upfield, particularly along the forward line.
“I also think our passing up the field has gotten a lot better, like on the forward line; I think they do a really good job with that,” Grant said.
The victory at O’Connell Field improved the Knights to 8-4.
Lee credited the team’s success to its hardworking, multi-sport athletes and their dedication to improving throughout the season.
“I think our team is filled with kids that love playing field hockey,” Lee said. “They’re mostly softball players, actually, all of them. I think they’re just hardworking individuals, and they come out and work hard every day, and they get better and better.”
For Grant, reaching 500 career saves marked a milestone after years of dedication to the sport.
“I think it’s nice; I have to keep working, but it’s a good achievement,” Grant said. “I have been doing this since eighth grade, so it definitely feels good to accomplish something like this during my senior year.”
Despite her individual accomplishments, Shea emphasized the importance of her teammates in creating scoring opportunities. She credited the defense and goalkeeper for helping the Knights maintain possession and generate offensive chances.
“My goalie and my defense definitely make my job a lot easier,” Shea said. “They defend a lot of balls, pass it up really well, and it’s easier for me to score goals when they’re stopping them.”
With Shea directing the attack and Grant anchoring the defense, the Knights have found success through the leadership of two seniors whose impact extends beyond the stat sheet.
