Leigh Longhorns’ Lowenberg finds success after switching from soccer to field hockey
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The excitement was palpable after the Leigh Longhorns’ field hockey win over Westmont on April 6th. The evenly matched teams were tied 1 to 1 in regulation play and continued to duel through overtime—until, with seconds on the clock, Maddy Hoekstra sent a short corner to forward Thea Lowenberg, who hooked the ball into the net for the winning goal as time ran out.
The Longhorns remain undefeated in league play, and the gold-and-green are working hard through this limited field-hockey season, which was delayed until spring due to pandemic. Unfortunately, CCS playoffs won’t be held this year so every goal, and every game, count for the Longhorns.
Thea, a junior from Los Gatos, is a right forward on the team. She previously played soccer and was happy to discover the similarities between soccer and field hockey. “The two sports are pretty similar, the positions are pretty much the same and the rules are similar,” says Thea. When asked what she likes most about the game, her answer is always “her teammates” and the sense of camaraderie formed as the team pulls together. “The team is really close — we’re all friends and the game is fun because of my teammates,” Thea says.
“Thea works hard every day to get better and to help make her teammates better. Her passion for the game is evident when she plays, and the level of play picks up when she is on the field. She asks questions to improve her understanding of the game and her skills. In 7 games (this season), she has 14 goals and 2 assists. She puts herself in good positions to receive passes from her teammates to score and is always ready for a rebound off the goalie’s pads,” says her Leigh High coach Karin Mirassou.
Thea has her senior year ahead of her at Leigh and has hopes that it will be a full season with playoffs in the fall, as she concludes her career at Leigh. This summer, she says she’ll play club field hockey.
When not on the field-hockey pitch or in the classroom, or hanging out with her brother and sister, Thea can be found swimming for Leigh. She was JV team captain during last year’s truncated season and also swims at Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club, where she hopes to lifeguard this summer. Academically, Thea is part of the National Honor Society and fulfills her volunteer hours tutoring students.
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