On Thursday, November 11, and Friday, November 12, AIS/EA Day made its triumphant return to Phelps Field. After last year’s sports seasons, heavily impacted by COVID-19 safety concerns and protocols that prohibited Agnes Irwin from hosting the event, the anticipation was at an all-time high. While not ending in victory, the day itself served as a reminder of the excellence Agnes Irwin exhibits on and off the field. As an example for sportsmanship and the model of schoolwide pride, AIS wins in other ways than on paper. This year we even got an early start to the fun!
In fear of poor weather, the varsity tennis match was rescheduled to Thursday afternoon, and with an all-middle and upper school early dismissal, the fanbase for AIS tennis was huge. With the change in schedule, most EA fans, excluding parents, were unable to attend. Even with the overwhelming crowd advantage, EA pulled out the first victory, but it definitely wasn’t an “ace.” Doubles teams Lily Halpert ‘23 and GG Seibert ‘25, and Katherine Ernst ‘22, and Alex Lesko ‘22 beat their opponents making them a part of the 2-5 loss.
After an energy-filled, and pasta-filled, Thursday night of dancing (Congratulations Varsity Volleyball!), AIS/EA day kicked off with the Cross Country meet. The race began and ended on Carter field, with the final few laps around Phelps concluding just before the soccer game. Even though the cross country team was unable to win, there were many standout performances, in particular from sophomore Orchie Hasan ‘24, and an all-around show of dedication from the team. As the runners were catching their breath, Soccer Senior Captain Belle Fusco ‘22, who tore her ACL earlier in the season, was the ceremonial first touch of the game. Amidst a roar of cheers, only from one side of the bleachers, the game began. The closest of all events, EA’s soccer team just snuck by in a 1-0 victory. Starting goalie Morgan O’Donnell ‘23, who was participating in her first AIS/EA day, commented on the crowd: “Having all the support there for me and the whole team helped me persevere through the yelling from EA boys, and really made me a lot more confident going into the game, which I wasn’t expecting. But honestly, the overall environment is just so supportive which is exactly what any athlete needs during something like this.”
It would be a disservice to not mention another great aspect of AIS/EA day this year: the food trucks. From pizza to Mexican, or those really elaborate waffles with ice cream, everyone who worked to put the day together, including the teachers, or bouncers, who guarded the doors, made the day safe and memorable for everyone. The last sport to play, field hockey, ended in a similar fashion to the game they played against EA the night before. “The environment of both games against EA was extremely intense. There was a lot of physicality, but as a team, we stuck together and continued to play our game,” senior captain Heidi Gresh ‘22 said when reflecting on the last two games of the season. EA pulling out a 6-1 victory. After suffering an injury during Thursday’s game, Heidi Gresch ‘22 was determined to push through the pain knowing, “that it would not only be my last EA day ever but also my last field hockey game ever.”
The return of AIS/EA was a success, though maybe not in the traditional sense. Friday morning’s pep rally, led by senior Samantha Hark ‘22, shook the bleachers and made numerous Snapchat story appearances, but most importantly, hyped up the entire Agnes Irwin School. The AIS community values sportsmanship and camaraderie, but most importantly, fosters an environment where we can celebrate not just our victories, but our losses as well. The story of AIS/EA day may have started on Thursday afternoon and ended Friday evening, but the ongoing narrative of AIS excellence will never end.
