Lady Eagles lose first-round playoff game

By: John E. Powers
   South Hunterdon Regional High School field hockey coach Andi Burroughs knew it was critical for her team to take the play to top-seeded Oak Knoll early in a North Jersey, Section 2, Group I, first-round playoff game last Tuesday.
   The eighth-seeded Eagles did just that; they came out and set the early tempo of the game. But the eventual sectional champions from Summit proved to be simply too strong.
   Unbeaten Oak Knoll (20-0-2), which went on to beat Bernards 6-4 in the sectional semifinals, then Pingry 2-0 for the sectional title this past Monday, eliminated the Eagles 6-0 in Summit. Pingry beat Oak Knoll the last two years in the sectional final.
   Oak Knoll goalie Mary Kate Spawn recorded her 14th shutout of the season by blanking South. She had allowed just seven goals coming into the game with South.
   "I would say that we dominated the first few minutes of the game, and we had a couple of very good shots on goal," said first-year head coach Burroughs, whose team finished the season with an 11-7 record. "We really needed to score first. We saw them yelling at each other, and they were back on their heels a bit. I really think if we had scored first, it might have been a different result."
   Senior Devon Shire, who had scored three goals in a 4-0 win against North Plainfield, had a great shot early. So did seniors Cherish Brown (co-captain) and senior Tory Marley, but they just missed. Senior Christina Aiello also provided some offensive pressure, Burroughs said.
   "In the beginning, we held them back," Shire said. "But when they scored, we kind of fell apart. They were used to their turf. It was fast, and it seemed like the ball moved much faster."
   The Eagles had to play their last few games without senior goalie and co-captain Lauren Mitchell, who is recovering from a hip injury. Freshman Leslie Salsburry filled in and did a solid job.
   Salsburry made three saves in the win against North Plainfield. Shire had three goals, and Marley had the other. Brown and sophomore Stephanie Davis had two assists apiece.
   The Eagles also beat North Warren 2-1 as Shire and Davis scored with assists from freshman Kayla Ribsam and Marley. Salsburry had three saves.
   "Lauren really wanted to get back for our state game, but she wasn’t able to go," Burroughs said.
   Burroughs said Mitchell is hoping to play field hockey in college.
   "Oak Knoll knew their positioning on the field; they like playing on that turf," Burroughs said. "They really played a beautiful game of field hockey. It wasn’t a dirty game; it was a classy game. But I think it really came down to the mental part of the game. What made Oak Knoll so tough was that they communicated well and their skills were really fabulous."