Proud dad Jim Hajjar sent me a link to a great story about his daughter Allison Hajjar, having a fabulous year as the goalie for Methuen’s High School Field Hockey team. Allison has eight shutouts, including six in a row, and was recently featured in a great story in the Eagle Tribune. From the Tribune:

Beating the Methuen field hockey team this year has been no easy task, which may surprise some people since the Rangers returned only two starters.

The big reason why has been senior goalie Allison Hajjar.

Hajjar has exploded onto the scene, recording an impressive eight shutouts including a string of six in a row as she has led the “rebuilding” Rangers to a 10-3-3 record.

Even more amazing is the fact that this season marks Hajjar’s first full season as the Rangers’ starting goalie.

When Hajjar first picked up a field hockey stick as a freshman, the novice was placed in the field. But early into the season, a change was needed.

“I only played the field at first but we needed a goalie so I decided to try something different and take a risk,” said Hajjar. “It looked fun sitting in that goal so I figured I would just try it out. After I switched, that goal has just felt like my home, I’ve loved it ever since.”

Coming into this season, Hajjar was finally handed the reins after spending most of her sophomore and junior years as the junior varsity goalie and backup on the varsity squad.

“I actually thought [goalie] could be a weakness for us this year,” said coach Karen McLaughlin. “She just didn’t have the experience because she’s been in everybody’s shadow as the backup over the last two years.”

However, any questions have been completely wiped off the board as Hajjar has become one of the top goalies in the league. Hajjar started the year with a shutout of Lawrence and recorded her second shutout two games later in a 2-0 win over Haverhill.

Hajjar then recorded double-digit saves against Andover (15), Chelmsford (12), Tewksbury (11) in a tough three-game stretch against the iron of the MVC. The Rangers went 1-1-1 and the tone was set for the rest of the season.

Starting with a 1-0, six-save win over Malden on Sept. 24, Hajjar recorded six straight games without letting in a single goal as Methuen went 5-0-1 in that span, bringing her season total to eight shutouts.

In 16 games this season, Hajjar has only allowed 18 goals while recording 117 saves for a 1.12 goals-against-average and an .867 save percentage.

Congratulations to Allison and coach Karen McLaughlin, as well as the entire team for having an outstanding year. Read the Eagle Tribune article here.