Girandola’s three goals finishes South field hockey
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Kelly Girandola is happy to operate in the shadows of her fellow forwards on the West Windsor-Plainsboro North field hockey team.
”I only started playing freshman year,” said Girandola, a Knights senior. “I just basically feed off their skills.”
Heather Bilardo, Devin Brakel and Kristen Carpio work together with Girandola to make up the talented front line for the Knights.
”As many years I’ve been coaching, I can say I’ve never had such a solid offensive line,” said Knights head coach Shannon Maruca. “Each of them have something to contribute. Whether it’s their speed or the way they shoot or pass, everyone has something to contribute.”
Carpio scored the only two goals in a 2-1 win over Hun, Brakel was the Knights’ top scorer year ago and netted three goals in a win over Ewing and Bilardo continues to set up her teammates and provide big goals as well. Girandola figures that there’s not much to add.
”I can run,” she said.
Girandola uses her speed to race into position for deflections, and there was no stopping her Friday as her teammates took a back seat to her as she finished with a hat trick in a 4-2 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro South.
”It was really exciting to beat them,” said Girandola, who scored twice against Ewing earlier this season. “There were so many people there and all our friends were there. We heard South was a good team. We wanted to beat them. They’re our biggest rivals in our community.”
WW-P North broke out quickly to take a 3-0 halftime lead. The Pirates played better in the second half, outscoring the Knights, 2-1, and Emily Kramer made 13 saves but it couldn’t prevent WW-P South from falling to 2-3.
”They stepped it up in the second half, and they were using the longer passes and bigger hits,” Maruca said. “A couple of the girls on that team, they move the ball nicely.”
But it takes quite a defense to keep the Knights in check, particularly when they play like they did Friday.
”My center mid, Chloe Spetalnick, she was doing a good job of feeding the offensive line,” Maruca said. “The way we got it in the circle and were scoring with quick hits, Devin had a couple good 1-on-1s, we mixed it up. The midfield and the offensive line worked really well today.”
Said Girandola: “If we work together, it’s easy to be successful. You can’t just rely on one or two girls. We kind of rely on the whole team to get the ball up the field and to defend.”
Girandola is bringing offense to the Knights from her familiar left wing spot. She’s played varsity three years.
”I’ve been playing left wing since I started,” she said. “I love it. I can rely on the other girls to get it up to the goal and I can sprint up as fast as I can and get ready for the deflection.”
Girandola used a variety of ways to score Friday, including a goal that she dived to knock in. Her three goals in a game were a career high.
”I’m happy I can finally talk about Kelly,” Maruca said. “She’s in by far the best shape on our team. She works so hard. She plays the left wing position so well. She’s willing to go that extra mile to get the ball. She’s a captain. She’s one of our team leaders.
”She’s always done a good job. She just hasn’t been that person to score two or three goals (in a game). Today was big for her. It showed she can be that person.”
Girandola’s big day reinforces how balanced the Knights are up front. Brakel’s big sophomore year has defenses geared up to stop her, but with Carpio’s early-season scoring barrage and Bilardo (two assists vs. the Pirates) and Girandola coming on, it’s tough on any defense.
”We don’t like to stop,” Girandola said. “We keep scoring. If it gets to the point where it’s disrespectful, we’ll stop.”
Opponents are throwing their best at the Knights, whose only loss came at the hands of Hopewell after they were tied, 1-1, at the half.
”We have to be ready to play every game,” Maruca said. “That’s the big test for my girls, coming ready to play and being ready to play.”
It wasn’t hard for them to prepare take on rival WW-P South. The Pirates did a good job of slowing three of the Knights’ four forward, with Brakel getting just one goal. But they couldn’t account for Girandola.
”That is the key to the success of my team,” Maruca said. “I don’t have to rely on one offensive player. Whether it’s Devin or Kelly, and then there’s Heather Bilardo, and Kristen Carpio, our right wing, she’s having a good year. It doesn’t matter if one person is having a bad game. Someone is going to step up.”
Friday it was Kelly Girandola’s turn, and her career game kept the Knights rolling this season.
”We’re really excited to be here,” Girandola said. “We really wanted to get off to this kind of start and start winning against teams like South and Ewing. We really wanted to beat Hopewell. I think we’re going to continue on winning. We don’t want to lose anymore.”