Pierson Field Hockey Falls in Long Island Championship Game

Lily Perello said her goal this season was just to keep the winning spirit alive in her young Pierson/Bridgehampton field hockey team.

And despite a 3-0 loss to Carle Place in the Long Island Class C championship game Saturday morning, you could say the senior midfielder did that and then some.

“I didn’t think in the beginning of the season that we’d make it this far, but everyone worked so hard,” Perello said. “So even though we didn’t win today, this feels really good.”

You could argue none worked harder than Perello, who was named to the All-Tournament team. She raced all over the field to get to the ball, and even after the Frogs (14-4) went up 1-0 after the first quarter and 2-0 in the third, she kept fighting. But the senior was quick to point out her teammates’ efforts, too.

“Every single girl kept the energy up, and that’s all you need,” Perello said. “We continued to lift each other up, even when we were down, and we all have such good chemistry, so we remained positive and worked together to pass the ball, move it up the field and get those chances.”

Carle Place made it 3-0 in the final stanza on Paige Selhorn’s second goal of the game, and still, the Whalers (5-10) kept pushing, coming up with six straight penalty corner calls in the last five minutes. Frogs goalie Megan Rice made one stop and Eva McKelvey’s pass around a defender to junior Bella Eldridge led to a shot that went just wide to the left with less than two minutes to go. Junior goalkeeper Grace D’Angelo also made 11 dazzling stops on the day to keep her team in it.

“We worked so hard every single second of the game,” said McKelvey, the team’s only other senior. “Carle Place is a great team with a great program, but we never stopped. We fell short, but I know every girl put their blood, sweat and tears into this, and that’s all you can ask for. They learned a lot for next year.”

That’s something first-year head coach Laura DeSario said she can’t thank her five-year starters enough for.

“They’ve been such leaders,” she said. “Not only did Eva and Lily take the younger players under their wings, but me as well, being new to the school and the team. They were instantly welcoming and helped to grow our program and get me and the other players acclimated.”

“What they’ve been able to help all of us with was shown here today,” the coach continued. “I think this was the team’s best and fastest game this season. The girls played their hearts out. They didn’t give up — they kept pushing — and we were right there. They fought right to the end. We’re going to miss these seniors next year.”

McKelvey said she’s proud of the impact she and her teammate have left on the program, helping Pierson to its ninth consecutive Suffolk County Class C championship win to keep a rich tradition in a small town alive.

“We knew it was going to be tough this year, and we were going to be up against schools with 40 to 50 girls on their roster, while we have 15 on our team. But knowing that and to still make it here is amazing,” McKelvey said. “I’ve played alongside Lily my entire life, and in multiple sports, and while it’s definitely sad, it’s great to know we did it together and we ended this journey together.”

Her classmate said she can’t wait to see what the Whalers do next.

“I’m hoping these girls continue to push this program,” Perello said. “Especially with being from such a small school, people underestimate us, but I think this team still has so much potential and the ability to keep this going. I don’t think this is the last time you’ll hear about Pierson field hockey.”