Girls team hopeful of having successful season.
By: Neil Hay
Down by as many as four goals, and trailing by a 5-2 score at the start of the fourth quarter Saturday, the Peddie boys’ lacrosse team rallied to force overtime and came away an opening day 6-5 winner over visiting Blair.
Senior attacker Sam Meyer netted the winning goal which got the Falcons’ 2006 season off to a good start and hopefully will inspire Peddie to more wins along the way. Sean Stiefel, another senior attack player, had three goals, and senior midfielder Ronald Walton scored two.
This is a young team, as Coach Rodger Colbert quickly recognized.
"We are young. Except for (Meyer, Stiefel, and Walton), everyone is a freshman, sophomore, or junior who played on the jayvee last year. We are looking for more continuity. They are trying to play as a team but not doing it yet. They are trying big time."
In addition to the three 12th-graders, back from last season’s 6-10 squad are the goalies, senior Gordon Gray and sophomore Sean Murphy, sophomore defender Chris Douthett, and junior defender Matt Seidner, who played jayvee in 2005.
As for this season’s prospects, Colbert said, "It is hard to determine. There is a lot more team camaraderie. The kids are used to helping each other out. We have no big stars. Everyone has to play team defense. Coaching will be a big part of our success. The level of experience we have is uneven. We have to get everyone to play together as a team. As soon as we get that down, we’ll be better."
On Wednesday the Falcons traveled to Hunterdon Central where they lost by a 9-5 final score. Meyer tallied three goals, freshman attacker Eugene Buckley scored once, and Walton added the fifth goal. Murphy was Peddie’s goalie
GIRLS
No superstars.
That is the quick assessment of her Peddie girls’ lacrosse team, as provided by the veteran coach Jan Pittas. Now in her fourth year as head coach, and 11th overall with the program, Pittas is seeking a balanced look to carry the Falcons deep into the 2006 season.
"We don’t have superstars," said Pittas after Peddie lost Saturday’s season opener at home to Ramapo, 16-10. Despite the final score, Pittas is hopeful that the Falcons can have a successful campaign.
"It was great competition," against Ramapo. "We are a balanced team with kids who can score, kids who can defend. And we have plenty of speed."
Peddie was outscored in the first half 9-4, but rebounded nicely in the second half to keep it respectable. Said Pittas, "Ramapo came out fired up and fast, and our kids had to adjust. It was kind of an awakening about what is ahead."
Junior attack Ashley Walton had two goals against Ramapo, senior attack Nikki Yesalavage had two goals and three assists, sophomore midfielder Kate Cummins netted three goals, and senior mid Hollis Stahl, sophomore attack Christine Lee, and freshman attack Carolyn Gorajek all had a goal. Ramapo had 29 shots to Peddie’s 19. Junior goalie Kate Manuelli had 17 saves in the loss.
Returnees include Manuelli, Walton, Yesalavage, Cummins, Stahl, junior mid Caitlin Holtz, senior defenders Courtney McCarthy and Caitlyn Cook, and junior defenders Jaclyn Evans and Katie Lindberg. The newbies are Shelly Moeller, a postgraduate mid, Gorajek, sophomores Lauren Sokol (defense), the injured sophomore midfielder Lindsay Bublewicz and Lee, junior attackers Natalie Evans, Kelsey Bair, and Marica Dacey and freshmen Claire Engelman (defense) and Bridget Lang (attack).
Pittas will try to get this collection of veterans of newcomers to jell as a unit as quickly as possible.
"We had some holes to fill so we had to bring in new kids" from the junior varsity. "That will take some time. This is an athletic and enthusiastic team. Great chemistry too. They give a nice collective effort. We don’t have to look to one or two kids to make it happen."
Wednesday’s scheduled game at home against Wyoming Seminary was postponed due to the weather conditions.