In a struggle that started on a Saturday but didn’t end until Monday, the eighth-seeded Lady Garnets lost to No. 9 Ursuline 3-1 in an opening-round playoff game. Blinding snow at the half-hour mark October 29 halted the scoreless game, which was rescheduled for Halloween.

 

By Melanie Cane

 

In a struggle that started on a Saturday but didn’t end until Monday, the eighth-seeded Lady Garnets lost to No. 9 Ursuline 3-1 in an opening-round playoff game. Blinding snow at the half-hour mark October 29 halted the scoreless game, which was rescheduled for Halloween.

Rye seemed spooked when, three minutes into the restart, a handball in the box gave Ursuline a quick score. The goal fired up Rye, and a great combination of passes from midfield by Kelly McRedmond to Kate Whiston and over to Vania Ludman, who sent in a low cross to Alexa DiConsanza, came very close to scoring. On defense, Victoria Pacos was extremely strong in the air, putting pressure on Ursuline.

 

But against the run of play, Ursuline scored again off a well-taken corner kick. Two restarts, two goals — although Rye had better opportunities. Near the end of the half, with Audrey Love and Lindsay Welhoelter pressuring the Koalas, McRedmond hit the crossbar on her shot, followed by Charlotte Goldman hitting the post.

 

Ursuline stuck the dagger in a third time shortly into the second half, and a 3-0 deficit was too much for the Garnets, even though Love soon scored for Rye on a cross from the ever-present Ludman.

 

A minute later, Rye had a breakaway and Ursuline’s keeper came out of the box and seemed to use her hands to make the save — but nothing was called. On breakaway No. 2, the speedy Love was taken down in the box, but the referee refused to use the whistle.

 

“We overcame much adversity this season,” said head coach Rich Savage, who remained proud in defeat. “You could never plan on all our keepers suffering injuries and having to move our most experienced defender, McRedmond, into the nets. Lexi Hijazi never did return, though we got Kelly Barnhardt back at midseason.

 

“The team adjusted well even when Catherine Livingston, DiConstanza, Goldman, Ludman, Rita Futamura, Welhoelter, and McRedmond herself missed playing time. Every girl on the team was able to pick up her level of play and compete against some of the best teams in the area. We gave Saint Luke’s in Connecticut their only defeat of the season; North Rockland is a top AA team with only two losses, and one of them was to Rye; and we handed Byram Hills one of only four defeats.”

 

He concluded, “These are a very special group of seniors, many of whom played on the team for four seasons. They’ll never be forgotten.”