With their season opener just days away, the Yale field hockey team began the culmination of its preseason schedule this past weekend, competing in two scrimmages as the Bulldogs made their final preparations for what promises to be an excellent season.

Yale got off to a winning start Saturday with a strong performance against the University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues, using two goals each from Dinah Landshut ’12 and Chelsey Locarno ’12 to spark a victory.

Sunday’s contest matched the Elis with the Greenwich Field Hockey Club, a formidable opponent due to the fact several members of the Greenwich squad are grown men, in addition to the fact that many of the team’s female members are former college standouts. Though initially, the Greenwich onslaught was too much for the Yale squad, which surrendered six goals in the first half, the Bulldogs showed their mettle in the second half, finishing the game down only six to two.

“We knew Greenwich would be a huge challenge because they’re grown men who are very fast, strong and talented. But even though we got down in the first half, we were able to come back strong.” Locarno said. “Our coach set a goal for us at halftime of winning the second half, and we were able to do that. We made adjustments, and that’s a good sign for the rest of our season.”

Though these games do not count for the team’s official record, they are still a crucial component of the team’s schedule.

“We played well in both games, fighting through fatigue and working out all the parts of the game we’ve been focusing on this preseason,” Captain Julia Weiser ’10 said. “It was a good opportunity to show how hard we trained over the summer and in the past week and a half.”

The Bulldogs will wrap up their preseason this week before taking on intrastate rival Sacred Heart on Friday at 3 p.m. at Johnson Field.