FIELD HOCKEY
By: John E. Powers
The Lawrence High School field hockey team has come together off the field. Now, the Cardinals need to translate that togetherness on the field.
Lawrence fell to 3-6 Tuesday as West Windsor-Plainsboro South prevailed 3-0. Sophomore Tory Sharpless scored twice and Mallory Swanson scored once.
Ali Trevorrow made nine saves for South, which had lost their two previous games. Junior keeper Lisa Tamulis made 12 saves for the Cardinals.
"We knew South would be a challenge," Lawrence head coach Candace Mains said. "I really thought we had equal abilities, but they had better scoring opportunities."
"Our marking was weak," she added. "We weren’t stepping up to the ball. Maybe we were a little intimidated. We only had five shots on goal. It’s frustrating because I really thought we were meshing as a team. We are connecting as a team. Now we have to do something with it."
Mains said that she recently left the girls in the locker room for a team meeting.
"We had to work as a team and get on the same page," Mains said. "Once that settles we can see it on the field."
The girls lost to Hillsborough 5-2 at home Saturday morning as junior Maria Eldridge and junior Melissa Casale scored. Hillsborough sophomore Carlin Dunne scored twice and assisted on another.
Tamulis made 17 saves.
"I don’t think we could get too upset with the effort, I wish we could have beaten them, but we played well," Mains said. "They got a big lead, but we put two goals in after. I think it proved that we didn’t give up."
Mains said that she was tinkering with ideas of adjusting her lineup and formations. The team was supposed to practice the new formations Wednesday.
"We’re getting a little weak on the left side and we have to adjust it to make it stronger," she said. "We just have to balance our attack."
The Cardinals were scheduled to have three straight home games with Hightstown Thursday, Sayreville Friday and The Hun School Tuesday.

