By Wayne Witkowski
Lisa Malloy returns to her alma mater at New Egypt High School, where she played for a state championship field hockey team in 2005, as its new head coach starting in the fall.
“It’s good to be back and to give back to the community,” said Malloy, who has fellow alumna Robyn Frank as assistant coach. “My philosophy has always been how well you work together to be cohesive.”
Malloy had been an art teacher at Keansburg High School and was an assistant and volunteer field hockey coach at Robbinsville High School last fall. She also coached girls lacrosse at Allentown High School in her first coaching position under recently retired Hall of Fame coach Mary Ellen McCarthy from 2011 to 2015 and was an assistant girls lacrosse coach at Ranney School from 2015 to 2016. Last fall, Robbinsville ended a 13-2-3 season in the NJSIAAA Central Jersey, Group II semifinals against perennial power Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School a 12-1 loss.
“I enjoyed the close-knit community of both [Allentown and Robbinsville],” Malloy said. “When I started with Mary Ellen McCarthy, I knew I made the right choice for my first coaching experience while working with a very passionate coach. More importantly, I was surrounded by success, and I learned a lot about building a player-coach relationship with the team. This experience also allowed me to build my own philosophy of coaching by setting expectations high for my players.”
She’ll teach art at New Egypt Middle School next year.
Malloy played forward throughout her high school career under coach Patti Nicholson and played midfield and defense at The College of New Jersey — a career cut short after her junior year because of injuries. Her emphasis will start with the back line and Chloe Lewis, a rising junior who saw some time in goal with regular Kirsten Homeny, who graduated.
“The attack is not necessarily who gets the goal; it may not always be the same players but who has the opportunity to score and the defense to back them up,” said Malloy, who said she has been well received in meeting with the players.
Only three players will be seniors, including Meagan Smith and Angela Horner, who had shining moments with last year’s team.
“They seem excited to be playing for a new coach,” Malloy said. “I’m young and don’t have a family right now, and these players are going to be a family for me.”
Faith Weber, who scored six goals as a leading field hockey player, graduated. She pitched New Egypt’s softball team to the Group I championship game last month.
Malloy will search for new forwards to finish off threats with the graduation last month of Alexa Hladick and Emily Davis, who each scored 13 goals and had nine and seven assists, respectively, to lead the team. Davis scored three goals, including the game-winner in overtime to lead ninth-seeded New Egypt past eighth-seeded Metuchen High School, 3-2, in the first round of the North Jersey, Section II, Group I tournament that was followed by an 8-0 loss to No. 11-seed Shore Regional High School in the quarterfinals.
Field hockey preseason practices begin statewide Aug. 16. New Egypt opens its scrimmage schedule Aug. 26 against West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North and also has Robbinsville, Notre Dame High School and Hightstown High School on the preseason schedule before opening its regular-season Sept. 9 at Maple Shade High School. Its home opener is Sept. 12 against Florence Township Memorial High School.