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Photos by Cailin Riley
Just call them the cardiac kids.
The East Hampton field hockey team has made its living by winning close games this season and its first-round Class B playoff game at Bayport/Blue Point on Monday was no different. With 24:01 left in the second half, forward Lauren Fitzgerald tapped the ball into the left corner of the goal to give her team all the scoring it would need in a 1-0 win over the fourth-seeded Lady Phantoms.
The fifth-seeded Lady Bonackers (8-7) moved on to the Class B semifinals and will visit undefeated top seed Shoreham/Wading River (14-0) on Wednesday, November 4, at 2 p.m. It marked the seventh time this season that the Lady Bonackers were involved in a one-goal game. They are now 4-3 in those games. Three of them went to penalty strokes during the regular season, all of which East Hampton won.
Fitzgerald’s goal was the result of a well-executed corner play by East Hampton. The ball went from Logan Erb, to Danielle Waleko and to Alyssa Eurell, who made the final pass. Bayport made a strong push at the end of the game and got the ball into East Hampton’s circle several times, but the Lady Bonacker defense—led by Meghan Dombkowski and goalie Curran Brierley—held the Lady Phantoms at bay.
When the final horn sounded, Eurell pumped her fist and let out a yell as she was greeted by her teammates in the middle of the field for a celebratory group hug. Senior captains Shannon Anderson and Waleko said that advancing to the semifinals for the second consecutive year was a big accomplishment and that having played in so many close games throughout the season gave them the advantage down the stretch.
“It feels amazing because this is the second year going to semifinals for all the seniors,” Waleko said. “It just feels great. We didn’t know anything about Bayport, but we just dominated so it was good.”
Anderson said that her team’s experience in tight games was key.
“We know we’ll pick up our momentum,” she said, “so we never get down.”
Bayport had a slim 8-6 advantage in corners, but East Hampton was the speedier team and it showed down the stretch. Eurell had several nice breakaways where she nearly scored and the Lady Bonacker offense put increased pressure on the Lady Phantoms as the game went on.
East Hampton head coach Becky Schwartz said she thought her forwards did a better job of cutting and getting back to the ball in the second half and added that by taking free hits quickly, her team put pressure on the Lady Phantoms.
Midfielder Natalie Sequiera had a strong game, winning most of her one-on-one battles and creating opportunities for her team.
East Hampton head coach Becky Schwartz said she was proud of the way her team played and said that while Shoreham will be a tough battle, anything is possible.
“They fight constantly and in situations like this, they never give up,” she said. “I’m very proud of them.”
East Hampton lost both of its meetings with Shoreham during the regular season, falling 3-0 on the road on September 30 and losing 4-0 at home on October 19.
“I think we spooked ourselves out the first two times we played them,” Schwartz said. “I feel like playoffs is a totally different season. We’re a very good pressure team, so we’ll see what happens.”
Waleko and Anderson agreed with their coach.
“It will be a tough game but we’ll just put our hearts out on the field and try to beat them,” Waleko said.
“If we go in with confidence, it will really pull us through,” Anderson added.
Second seed Miller Place and third seed Sayville are slated to play in the other semifinal.
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