Bonackers Field Hockey Averaging More Than Six Goals Per Game in Hot Start

The East Hampton field hockey team is off to a hot start.

In going 5-0 in their first games of the season, the Bonackers have averaged more than six goals a game, and they’ve locked it down on defense as well, allowing a total of just two goals, emerging early on as the dominant East End team and taking the top spot in the Division II rankings.

East Hampton started last week with an 8-1 thrashing of Comsewogue on September 12, and a 7-1 home win over Babylon two days later.

The team spread the scoring around, with six different goal scorers in the win over Babylon, and five different scorers against Comsewogue. Kerri O’Donnell led the Bonackers with two goals and an assist in the win over Babylon, while Melina Sarlo had a goal and an assist as well. Sara Stuckart, Siena Link-Morse, Addi Barletta and Katie Grande all found the back of the net in the Babylon win as well, and Lila Gabbard added an assist. Goalie Caeleigh Schuster needed to make only one save for the shutout.

Against Comsewogue, Emma McGrory had a hat trick and an assist, while Sarlo had a goal and three assists. Olivia Walsh scored twice, while Ava Walter and Audrey Smith each added a goal. Link-Morse, O’Donnell and Gabbard each had an assist. Gracie Rasi made one save in goal.

Head coach Danielle Schuster said she and assistant coach Nicole Ficeto are happy with the hot start, but said there is still plenty to work on and added that challenges lie ahead in the form of tougher competition.

“When we entered preseason, Nicole and I realized that we had a good amount of athletic talent, however the girls have to build up their field hockey sense,” she said. “We have been working on seeing the whole game and understanding movement on and off the ball. We have always thought that these girls could do great things, but they have to want it. The girls have been working hard, but we have a lot of the more historically dominant teams later in our schedule.

“It is definitely nice to be 5-0 right now,” she continued. “But our girls will really be tried in the next few weeks. If our girls want it bad enough, they have the tools to put it together and achieve their goal, which is to return to the postseason again.”

East Hampton was scheduled to host Sayville on September 19, and will host Harborfields on September 21 at 4:30 p.m. The Bonackers will hit the road again after that to take on Bayport/Blue Point on September 27 at 4:30 p.m.