CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Thursday, Oct. 15, John Jay traveled to Yorktown, and Coach Debbi Walsh knew exactly what kind of contest awaited them.
“Any time we play Yorktown, it’s a dogfight. That’s how it always has been, always will be,” she said—and 67 minutes of play proved her right.
The teams battled to a 0-0 tie in regulation, but it was John Jay who went home happy when Callan Keeley scored with 3:04 left in overtime.
Yorktown set the tone early. “They came out strong from the get-go,” said Walsh.
Four penalty corners in the first seven minutes told the story, but goalie McKenzie Ryder was up to the challenge, meeting the early onslaught with poise.
The defense held firm, even after losing Kaitlyn Condon at the last minute. With players shifting positions, Walsh praised their composure: “I’m proud of the way the defense played.”
While the Wolves’ back line held its ground, John Jay’s offense found it just as tough to get past Yorktown’s defense. From midfield to the crease, the Huskers consistently converged and shut down scoring chances.
Walsh admitted her team wasn’t firing on all cylinders. “We didn’t have our best passing game, and the communication wasn’t there,” she lamented.
Still, senior captain Cait Brennan continued to anchor the defense, breaking up plays time and again—something her teammates didn’t take for granted.
“She’s really good at keeping her feet strong, getting her stick down, and at the right moment where the defender isn’t expecting it,” said Callan. “She’s able to block tackle and take the ball away.”
John Jay nearly broke through halfway through the second period. Off a penalty corner, Sophia Shaw fed an open Finja Degl, but the pass sailed just out of reach.
In the third quarter, Yorktown applied more pressure. At the 13-minute mark, Ava Ryan broke through the Jay defense and fired a shot on goal, but Ryder turned her away once again. Moments later, Shaw found Callan on the right side, forcing Yorktown goalie Samantha Conboy into a save at 10:40.
Conboy caught another break when Callan sent a pass ahead with six minutes left, just beyond Anna Kringas’ reach, as the ball rolled harmlessly out of bounds.
By the fourth quarter, John Jay began to find openings. “We started breaking through and realized they were only defending one area,” said Callan.
Shaw nearly capitalized, sending a pass into the crease that set her up to break the tie, but Yorktown’s defense swarmed and shut it down with 6:30 left in regulation.
Ryder made sure the game went to overtime, recording two clutch saves in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
In sudden death, Ryder stayed sharp, making another key stop at 9:30, while Brennan and the defense turned away multiple advances.
Then came the turning point. As Yorktown tried to move upfield, Laney Daly relied on fundamentals.
“Be low and stay low,” said the senior. “That lets me stop the ball and keep going up.”
She did exactly that—earning praise from her teammate. “Laney did a nice block tackle,” said Callan.
The ball found its way to Callan, who took a shot on goal. When the rebound came back to her, she finished the job.
“I was able to get my back to the ball, do a fake spin and shoot it,” she said.
Walsh’s pregame message rang true in the end. “I told my girls it comes down to who has the heart,” she said—and John Jay proved theirs was beating the hardest.
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