Lady Eagles rally to win three straight

By: John E. Powers
   After losing three of four games in late September, the South Hunterdon Regional High School field hockey team has gotten back on track.
   The Eagles began this week having won three straight. The Eagles raised their record to 7-3 with a 9-0 win over Morrisville (Pa.) Monday.
   The Eagles lost to Somerville (2-0) and Bernards (2-1), then beat Hackettstown 2-1 before losing to North Warren 2-0 last month. But the Eagles have won three straight since.
   "We’re playing well, playing consistent field hockey," said first-year head coach Andi Burroughs.
   The timing is outstanding because the Eagles will open the Hunterdon-Warren Tournament Friday at defending champion Hackettstown. South Hunterdon is the sixth seed, and Hackettstown earned the third seed despite the fact South Hunterdon beat Hackettstown Sept. 26 on goals by senior co-captain Cherish Brown and freshman Kayla Ribsam.
   Monday, the Eagles routed Morrisville, taking control very early.
   Junior Christina Aiello, sophomore Amanda Tillet and sophomore Steff Davis had two goals apiece. Senior Tory Marley, sophomore Brittney Shurts and senior Devon Shire had the other scores.
   Freshman Olympia Georgeson had two assists, and senior Nicole Case, Brown, Davis and senior co-captain Lauren Mitchell had the other ones. Mitchell, the team’s goalie, played right wing in the second half with freshman keeper Leslie Salssbury filling in during the second half and making five saves.
   The Eagles led 7-0 at the half.
   South Hunterdon beat Delaware Valley 3-1 last Thursday as Davis, Case and Marley scored goals. Brown assisted on Davis’ score at 11:42 of the first half, Case scored an unassisted goal, and Davis was credited with an assist on Marley’s goal at 13:22 of the second half. Mitchell made four saves in the first half and four in the second.
   "It was a great game; the girls really played as a team and communicated," said Burroughs, whose team was scheduled to play host to North Plainfield Tuesday before traveling to Mount St. Mary in Watchung Thursday.
   South knocked off Belvidere 3-2 last Tuesday as Marley scored the first two goals of the game at 3:32 left in the first half and 21:41 into the second half. Brown scored at 17:58 of the second half. Ribsam assisted on both Marley’s goals.
   "The girls played as a team because communication was what we had lacked in the past," Burroughs said. "We drilled the theme into them at practice over the past week, and it really worked for them."