GC Field Hockey Celebrates Senior Day

The eleven graduating seniors are Anastasia Menoudakos, Olivia Cappello, Kellin Reilly, Emma Nallan, Blakely Trapani, Maggie Moran, Stella Smith, Kasey Prybylski, Maeve Carney, Ashley Malatak and Emma Sutcliffe.

The pregame festivities included the seniors being introduced and joined on field by their parents as their teammates presented them with flowers. And although it is a sad day for the players and their parents there were plenty of smiles to go around. Each player had a senior banner hanging on the fence in front of the stands and behind the players bench were posters that teammates decorated for each of the graduates.

As the horn sounded signaling the end of the pregame, the GC girls had to put their game faces on and step up to the challenge of playing Baldwin. The Bruins came into the game with a 2-2 record but were coming off a tough 5-1 loss to Manhasset.

For Garden City this game represented the halfway point of the season. The girls have been on top of their game in the first five games with a perfect 5-0 record. The team plays a ball control style with quick passing and good stick work to generate scoring opportunities but they rely on a stout defense that has only surrendered 1 goal. Up and down the lineup, when a girl hits the field she is prepared to challenge for every ball.

Against Baldwin the girls came out on an emotional high and kept that going by controlling play early and scoring 3 quick goals and six in the first half. The scoring came from seniors Anastasia Menoudakos (2), Olivia Cappello and Blakely Trapani, along with junior Sheila Mullins and sophomore Tara Hollis. Contributing with assists were seniors Keilin Reilly, Maggie Moran and Trapani, and juniors Marie Cacciabaudo, Rory Heslin and soph Hollis.

Although Baldwin didn’t get on the score sheet the Lady Bruins fought hard throughout the match with Camdresa Davis trying to spark the offense with her speed and ball control, Captain Olutoyin Green controlling the center of the field and goalie Angelina Feeney doing her best to keep the Trojans off the scoreboard.

Coaches Lauren Lavelle and Janet Rogler will keep the team focused on the rest of the season as Garden City is set to face off at home against North Shore and Locust Valley next week.