The Rye High School girls varsity field hockey team is looking at another season with tough competition, but head coach Kelly Vegliante told The Record she likes it that way.
“We’re able to pick up several games of our own choice after the league games are assigned, and I always pick up hard teams because that’s the only way we’re going to prepare for the playoffs,” she said.
Tough teams on the schedule this year include Lakeland High School — which Vegliante said is always one of the top field hockey programs — as well as John Jay, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale, and Horace Greeley. The Garnets lost a double overtime competition in strokes to John Jay in the semi-finals last year, and are hoping that playing competitive teams all season will advance them to the playoffs this fall.
“That was disappointing and it was a really, really, really, really good game,” Vegliante said about last year’s nailbiter loss to John Jay. But, she said, “I’d rather go out that way than not play our strongest.”
Photo courtesy Kelly Vegliante
Vegliante has already chosen four captains who she thinks will lead the team. Those are senior Kate Morreale, a midfielder who just committed to Williams College in Massachusetts to play in the postseason; senior Caroline Doyle, who will be playing lacrosse at Duke next year; junior Beau Whaling, a forward; and senior Rachel Kelly-Walsh, a midfielder. In addition to the captains, the coach said rising junior Cara Bartlett is going to lead the squad’s defense this season.
“I think they’re going to be strong assets for the team,” Vegliante said.
The team starts with the preseason on Aug. 26. The first game is at home on Sept. 5 against John Jay East Fishkill.