Field Hockey Notebook

Lakeland, Yorktown Wrap up Solid Week of Action

By Tony Pinciaro

LAKELAND found itself in an unfamiliar situation entering the week as the 10-time defending Section 1 Class B champion Hornets were coming off of a loss – 1-0 to Dexter (MI) – at the Max Field Hockey National Invitational.

The Hornets did not dwell on their first loss of the season. Instead, they were back to their high-scoring selves with a 7-2 win over John Jay-Cross River and 9-0 triumph of Somers.

“The loss against Dexter was a learning experience,” senior and captain Jenna McCrudden said. “As a team, we had countless opportunities to score while Dexter took advantage of their few opportunities and scored. Having the ball in their offensive end the majority of the game and not getting any results has shifted our focus to being smart offensively and working as a team.”

In the teams’ first meeting since Lakeland defeated John Jay-Cross River in the 2018 Section 1 Class B title game, McCrudden, along with Emma Fon and Lauren Salazar, each had two goals. Mia Smith also scored and McCrudden and Fon collected assists.

Lakeland improved to 4-0 in league play with the win over Somers as Salazar rang up three goals and two assists.

Emma Halderman and Fon each scored twice, Keirra Ettere had one goal and two assists, Emma Ryan had a goal and Erin Daly added two assists.

“Winning two games has really got us back on track to our goal of winning the section,” McCrudden said. “Being 4-0 in our league, right now, is really important for us. Going into second half of the season is looking really good for us. We have a lot of challenges coming up, but we’ve grown so much since preseason.”

The week was not going the way YORKTOWN varsity field hockey would have liked. The Cornhuskers dropped their first two games – 3-1 to Hen Hud and 2-1 to Our Lady of Lourdes. Both games were even at 1-1 at halftime.

Yorktown was in need of a win to salvage the week and regain momentum it had from the previous week. Senior Melina Iavarone provided the morale boost that Yorktown needed. Iavarone had two goals and two assists as Yorktown dominated Nyack, 7-0.

Yorktown is now 3-6-3 and has four regular-season games remaining.

“Melina is a hard-working player who does everything she can to improve,” Yorktown Coach Bernadette Gannon said. “Melina starts with summer league and does anything, as well, in between.”

Iavarone assisted on two of the five Yorktown goals – Lexi Borges and Alyssa Albano — in the first half. Borges began the offensive eruption. Sam Penneys and Alex Bold also scored in the first half.

Kelsey McDonnell and Maddy Marr also had two assists. McDonnell’s return to lineup, following an injury, also helped boost Yorktown.

“Melina works very well with Kelsey and they connect on the field together,” Gannon said. “Melina had some pretty goals that she should be proud of. Having Kelsey back makes our offense click. She knows when to set someone else to score and when to take the shot. After two tough losses, this was a needed win. Hopefully, this was the momentum the girls needed to get through the last four games.”

Yorktown’s final four games are at Somers, at Brewster, home to Walter Panas and at Edgemont.

In the loss to Lourdes, Iavarone scored, assisted by Ellie O’Donnell. Addie Araneo made four saves for Yorktown.

Bold opened the scoring against HEN HUD, with O’Donnell assisting. However, Hen Hud evened the score at 1-1 on an Emma Schembari goal.

In the second half, Alana Espinoza and Logan Gougelmann scored for Hen Hud.

PUTNAM VALLEY dropped a 2-1 verdict to Pleasantville and rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 tie with Albertus Magnus.

Alie Granieri and Sara Lussier scored three minutes apart in the second half against the Falcons. Sydney Goldberg and Julia Carlin each had assists and Isabel Healy made five saves.

“At first, the Magnus game seemed to be very slow moving for us,” Putnam Valley Coach Courtney Hyndman said. “The girls were putting in the effort, but not being successful in their attempts to score or move the ball down the field. We called a timeout about halfway through the second half and the captains had the opportunity to say a few words. They truly pumped up the team and went back in to play the remaining 15 minutes much stronger. Three minutes later, they scored which completely shifted their mindset for the rest of the game. They were hungry for another goal, and they got it. I think this tie showed the girls how all of their hard work is paying off. We lost to Magnus early in the season and now we tied them. They have been making many adjustments in practice and they have started to see a difference in themselves, which I think will push them in a positive direction for the rest of the season.”

CARMEL edged MAHOPAC, 2-1, in the rivalry to end all rivalries. The Rams had come-from-behind goals scored by Laila Rosenquest and Shannon Ravert while Krista Dietz scored the game’s first goal for the Indians, who will host the Rams on Saturday, Oct. 12^th at 11 a.m. in a game that could go a long way toward determining league bragging rights.