Rye Country Day just snagged their 15th New York State Association of Independent Schools field hockey championship, absolutely shutting down Hackley 3-1 on Monday at Manhattanville College. This isn’t just any title; it was pure payback after they lost to Hackley by two goals earlier in the regular season. Talk about coming back with a vengeance!
The Second Quarter Surge Was Unstoppable
Hackley might’ve had a slight edge in that first quarter, but once the second quarter hit, it was all Wildcats. Rye Country Day totally took over, winning every race to loose balls and just creating penalty corner chance after chance. Seriously, two of their three goals came straight off those corners, with Alexandra Lund and CC Liu finding the back of the cage. Lund wasn’t done, though, as she sealed the deal with the Wildcats’ third goal, a ridiculous lifted shot that found the upper left corner. That’s how you make a statement in a championship game, right?
Donovan and Pereira Absolutely Dominated
This championship wasn’t just about scoring; it was a total team effort, and two Wildcats seniors were just unreal. Midfielder Bailey Donovan, who’s heading to Davidson for Division I lacrosse, was a takeaway machine. She kept offensive drives alive deep in Hackley’s territory and was a rock on defense, especially when Hackley was trying everything in the fourth quarter to get back in it. And then there’s goalie Lillian Pereira. That defense had her back with Greta Leslie, Catharine Mohraz, Ryah Egan, and Donovan all stepping up in the fourth. But Pereira herself was clutch, making a couple of sweet saves off corner chances and notching a five-save shutout, plus a couple of clears. She was locked in. Hackley did finally break through in the third quarter with 2:38 left, as Charlotte Frazier scored off an Emelia Pieri assist. Hackley’s goalie, Maddie Edwards, played her final game with 12 saves, including a tough split save in the fourth to keep her team in it.
This is the second straight NYSAIS title for Rye Country Day, who finished the season 9-4 after going into the tournament as the No. 3 seed. Hackley, the top seed, wrapped up their season at 10-5-1. Hackley coach Jenny Leffler said her team got into their heads a bit in the second quarter, calling it “one of those momentum things” where Rye Country Day “lifted their energy to leave everything on the field.” Donovan totally agreed, saying their first game against Hackley saw the momentum shift after Hackley scored. But this time? They didn’t sit back. She said, “We just kept playing our game and didn’t think about what they were doing.” Pereira summed it up perfectly, “I think our teamwork is what makes us the strongest.” Now, it’s time for some well-deserved frozen yogurt to celebrate that back-to-back championship. What a squad!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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