John Jay Field Hockey Falls Short to Lakeland in Section Final Heartbreaker

John Jay completed their season at 11-2-3, and seeded third, a sectional championship was within reach. Of course, the 12 time defending champs of Lakeland would be in the way, and a Halloween matchup proved a scare that the top seed didn’t bargain for. Still, Zoe Eliades' pained response said it all. “So close,” she lamented the 2-1 loss. But the senior left it to her teammate to bring proper perspective.

“This team is all my best friends and going out there, we are playing for each other,” said senior Kate Mercer

Nonetheless, John Jay opened on Monday, October 25 versus Briarcliff/Byram Hills and immediately went on the attack. At 7:35, Mercer pounced on a loose ball and put in the first of her two goals.

Of course, the Wolves didn’t let up. Annabel Brennan’s attempted put back kicked up in the air, and Mia Puccio batted the ball for a 2-0 lead at 2:16. Sophia DiFalco also had two goals, and Dani Picerni, Brennan and Lendina Ahmetaj completed the 8-0 shutout. “When you have multiple girls scoring in each game, your ability to be flexible and creative in the offensive circle heightens the game,” said Coach Debbi Walsh.

The momentum carried over on Wednesday versus six seeded Pearl River and most of the play stayed on the visitor’s end. After six minutes, the first nail went in. Mercer took the penalty corner, calmly passed to Eliades and her blast skirted in at 6:12.

Of course, Pearl River came to play too. That said, Walsh knows sometimes her defense doesn’t get tested. Nonetheless, they answered the call when needed. “We were scrappier,” Walsh said, and continually kept the ball moving in the other direction.

So the downhill firmly in place, Mercer got a head of steam for Brennan, and the forward’s resolve in the scrum willed a 2-0 lead at 1:10. “It’s definitely stressful. It’s like get the ball in the goal, get the ball in the goal. But you have to stay calm,” said Brennan.

The cool only continued, and the Wolves weren’t ready to punch the clock either. Getting the ball across midfield with seven seconds remaining, DiFalco found Brennan, and Puccio got the tip in at 0.0.

A 3-0 lead after one, the scoring sticks did go cold in the second. But the relentless pressure remained, and on the wing, Alliey Magistro played a big part by not letting the defensive clears go upfield. “It’s basically being as aggressive as I can,” said the midfielder, “keep pushing until getting the ball where it needs to go.”

The scoring drought ended on Brennan’s second goal at 9:35, and the joy was evident. “These girls just LOVE to play field hockey, and we are peaking at the right time,” Walsh asserted.

Two more goals and the 6-0 victory sent the Wolves to Rye on Friday to defeat the second seed 5-1. But Puccio didn’t see anything lopsided about it. “Very intense,” said the forward, “It felt close the whole game.”

The big save Maeve McGroary made in the opening moments made sure the proximity favored John Jay, though. The senior cut down the angle, and the sprawl that yielded a kick save was no accident. “Me and my fellow goalies, we really push each other to get close to the ground and get comfortable doing what we need to do,” said McGroary.

Still, Rye was in no mood to make the Wolves feel at home. But steals by Meghan Condon, Eliades and Haley Outwater thwarted separate Garnet attacks.

Even so, the defense was grateful for their stop gap, and another sprawling kick save with five minutes left in the 1st didn’t get passed Aidan Summer. “That was one of the her best games ever,” said the defender. “Like her slide tackles and smoothers were insane.”

So Summer took the cue right upfield, and the defense got a well deserved respite. Putting several near misses on goal, the Wolves strut had the Garnets back on their heels. A free shot to the fore, DiFalco tipped a Brennan projectile in with 1:29 left in the first.

Rye kept up the attack, though, and again the defense was there to retake the momentum. Summer stopped a high bouncer to break up a Rye advance and eventually cleared upfield. Three penalty corners later, Brennan got the tip-in this time off Eliades’ blast.

Up 2-0 with 9:31 left in the second, John Jay again went to town on the penalty corner. Eliades teed off, and Puccio’s redirection gave the Wolves a 3-0 lead at 6:24.

Still, Rye kept their heads up after intermission. Unfortunately, Rye’s attack had to bow down to a defense that continued to converge and get the clears. “It was just a lot of hard work, and the fight and the energy on the field was just crazy,” said Jojo Degl.

The kinetics eventually came to a head with Brennan’s goal with 4:15 left in the third, and 4-0 was insurmountable. “We are enjoying this moment now and will look ahead to the championship game tomorrow,” said Walsh.

The Wolves didn’t have to wait long for the Hornets to unleash their pedigree either. Off the penalty corner at 10:05, Jaden Ray’s deflection kicked above the box, and Emily Yazzetti steered the ball in.

But the danger play was whistled off, and moments later, John Jay got a second reprieve. Mia Smith took the penalty corner and her shot was ruled above the lower board.

John Jay didn’t ponder the semantics and quickly went the other way. Mercer led Brennan into the corner, and she rifled through the crease. DiFalco stopped, and her wack was kicked aside by Lakeland goalie Celeste Pagliaroli.

The inbound then went into Brennan who found Mercer. She controlled and fired away for a 1-0. lead.

7:29 left in the first, John Jay was inches from 2-0. Brennan received to the left, and her wrist shot rolled just wide.

So Lakeland caught their breath, but the winds still seemed against them. Smith clanked one off the post with a minute left in the first, and she just missed wide with six minutes left in the second.

Ninety seconds later, the autumn breeze appeared a gale force. Puccio shot from the right, and on the rebound, DiFalco broke the plane. But the referee whistled the play dead when the goalie smothered the ball with her foot on Puccio’s shot.

Fate then traveled the other way. Yazzetti received the penalty corner, and after McGroary’s kick save, Ray put back the rebound at 1:04.

The dream officially began to die four minutes into the third. Smith received the penalty corner, passed left to Gabby Santini, and after a little juke, the forward snuck the ball in.

But John Jay didn’t relinquish. Puccio led Brennan left, and just losing the race to the ball with Pagliaroli, the senior went tumbling out of bounds. Brennan put another shot on the goal at 4:33, but Pagliaroli’s kick beat John Jay to the punch.

Of course, the clock kept ticking, and two amazing saves by McGroary didn’t turn defense into offense. Nothing left but to look up, Eliades summed up for her team. “I’m just speechless,” she concluded, “to be here, even getting second place, is an amazing accomplishment.”

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