For the fifth year in a row, the Garnets lost to Lakeland in the Section I Class B final. Lakeland topped Rye 3-0 in the November 5 matchup at Brewster High School. The Hornets went on to win the State Championship.

 

By Melanie Cane

 

For the fifth year in a row, the Garnets lost to Lakeland in the Section I Class B final. Lakeland topped Rye 3-0 in the November 5 matchup at Brewster High School. The Hornets went on to win the State Championship.

 

Before the game, Coach Emily Fitzgerald told the team not to be intimidated. “We have to believe in ourselves. We have better speed this year and if we play as a total team, we can beat anybody.”

 

They’d proven that in the semifinal four days earlier when they shut out Nyack 3-0. The Garnets were the No. 2, the Indians the No. 3 seed.

 

The semifinal game started out with both teams looking somewhat lethargic and Rye called a time out at the 15-minute mark. The Garnets came back with more energy, hitting the side of the cage on a corner shot two minutes later. The Indians did the same, three minutes later. With the game still scoreless, Rye’s Fucine Govaert finally broke through, caging a short shot around the goalkeeper on an assist from senior captain Alex Bennett at the nine-minute mark. Then, with 2:33 left in the half, Govaert scored again on a long shot off a corner.

 

Rye took their momentum into the second half and took control of the game, launching an offensive assault on Nyack’s goal. With an assist from Govaert, Ellie O’Callaghan tapped one in over the goalie with 21:48 on the clock. That Rye did not score even more was due to excellent Nyack defense.

 

Interestingly, three of the team’s younger players — freshman Govaert, the team’s top scorer, eighth grader Lo Rogaar, a newly recruited left back, and her sister, Anne, the sophomore center back — are from the Netherlands.

 

Perhaps with all that talent from the Netherlands, the Garnets will be able to upend the girls from Lakeland next season.