Pierson/Bridgehampton Field Hockey Adapts to Tough Schedule Against Larger Schools

Through six games, as of the morning of Thursday, September 25, the Pierson/Bridgehampton field hockey team has played one school its size, Babylon, which was a 5-0 victory, on September 4. Outside of that, the Whalers have had to play larger Class B schools, which is par for the course in Division II, in which the large majority are “B” schools.

Though they’ve had some tough games here and there — 8-1 losses at Harborfields and Comsewogue — the Whalers have more or less their held own against the larger schools. A 1-0 loss to East Islip (6-1 in Division II) at Mashashimuet Park on Thursday, September 18, was a prime example.

Although Pierson allowed its fair share of penalty corners, especially in the first quarter, against East Islip, the Whalers defense held up. But East Islip finally connected on one of its corners in the second quarter, when Nora Mooney sent a pass to the middle that Carly Amato buried.

Outside of that goal, the defense, young goalie Caroline Gregor included, more often than not stood tall. Gregor was forced to face her first-ever penalty stroke not long after East Islip had scored. Initially, the official called the incoming shot dangerous because it came up so high on Pierson sophomore Grayson Knapik, hitting her in the chest area.

But after realizing that Knapik was actually in the cage, beyond the goal line, the official corrected his original call and called the penalty stroke. Although Knapik didn’t intentionally stop the ball with her body, as per high school field hockey rules, a player’s body can’t stop a ball from going in the cage.

Amato took the shot and sent the ball directly at Gregor, who easily swatted it down with her mitt and the game remained 1-0. Gregor finished with seven saves throughout the game.

“She’s really coming along. That was amazing,” Pierson head coach Laura Desario said of Gregor’s save. “That was exciting. I was nervous for her because she’s young, but she’s confident. That’s her first one [stroke], and they’re so rare we didn’t even practice them, so I guess we have start doing that.”

With improved play throughout the second half, especially when the Whalers turned up the heat offensively in the fourth quarter — arguably its best quarter of the game — the final scored remained a one-goal advantage for East Islip.

Desario agreed that it was one of the better matches for her team this season. Offense, as it typically is at the high school level, has been hard to come by for Pierson. Outside of its victory over Babylon, the Whalers have only been able to muster two goals total.

But Desario is hoping that can change as the season progresses and the players get more acclimated with themselves.

“It’s taken them a little bit of time to get their groove, but they’re starting to find it,” she said. “Some of our freshmen have really started to step up, get a little bit more confidence.”

“We’re having trouble finding the back of the net against some of these big schools,” Desario added.
“It’s just that fire in the circle, trying to light it.

Pierson will play what will most likely be its top competition for a county championship in Bayport-Blue Point this Thursday, September 25, at 4 p.m. The Phantoms were the first team to seven wins in Division II, all but guaranteeing themselves a playoff spot. The Whalers still need to play fellow “C” teams Greenport/Southold and Southampton later this season. In the meantime, they’ll continue to trudge along against larger schools with the hope that they’ll get better from it.

“I’m excited for it,” Desario said of the rest of the season. “Starting off against Harborfields was tough. They’re on turf, they’re a big school. That was kind of an eye opener for us. But it took us a couple of games, a couple of weeks to find our groove. Our freshmen are getting their confidence, getting their feet wet, working together with some of the upperclassmen. I’m excited for where we can go.”