Field Hockey: Huskers Fall Short to Mahopac

Host Yorktown had plenty of chances to take the lead in the first half of its game, but Mahopac was able to take advantage of its opportunities.

The Indians scored the first goal of the game late in the first half and the second goal early in the second half to go up 2-0 and held on to a 2-1 triumph against the Huskers on Wednesday.

“We had a lot of opportunities, it was just we had a couple of fouls in the goal circle which prevented us from putting it in the back of the net,” Yorktown co-captain Stef Ranagan said.

Overall, Ranagan said she and her teammates played well but came up just short of victory.

“As a team, we tried a lot of things, it just didn’t work out in our favor with the goals down on our end,” Ranagan said. “We just couldn’t get a stick on the ball. It happens.”

Mahopac got the lead when it scored with just 1:48 to go before halftime on a score by Sarah Quatro.

“That goal was a lot about communication,” Ranagan said. “We weren’t really talking to each other like we should’ve, we didn’t know where the ball was.”

Quatro then put in her second goal of the game nine minutes and 15 seconds into the second half.

But Yorktown had to get themselves on the board and just over a minute later senior forward Dara Lillis scored in the game on an unassisted goal, with 19:11 left, to pull the Huskers to within one.

Lillis got the goal after a scramble around the net on a play that saw the Huskers determined to score. Lillis gave credit to Ranagan, Kara Sharkey, Nicole Quigley and Gaby Byrne for helping make the score happen for her.

“We were taking a corner,” Lillis said. “We have been working on corners a lot. I have been really working hard trying to get on post. There has been lot of times where I haven’t gotten it. It was off the goalie’s pads and this time I was able to get it in.”

Lillis said the solid teamwork on the play showed that the Huskers were still in the game.

“It was a good way to get our heads up,” Lillis said.” “It showed that we were still playing hard and fighting to win the game.”

Yorktown goalie Katie Frederick did her best to keep the Huskers in the game after that as she shut out the Indians the rest of the way.

“Katie means a lot to this team,” Ranagan said. "She is a life-saver sometimes. She is very strong in the back.”

Despite the loss to Mahopac, the Huskers are still off to a winning start with a 2-1 record as they started the season with wins against Harrison, 1-0 and Horace Greeley, 2-1.

Yorktown plays next at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16 at Our Lady of Lourdes.