Bartholdi, Wolf Pac take control in 5-0 playoff win over Carmel

After a scoreless first quarter, fifth-seeded host Mahopac turned on the jets behind senior captain Gabby Bartholdi and delivered a 5-0 win over No. 11 Carmel in Friday’s opening round of the Section 1 Class A field hockey tournament.

Bartholdi, a speedy, determined forward, secured her second hat trick of the season and added an assist as the Wolf Pac (11-6) advanced to the sectional quarterfinals to face No. 3 Clarkstown (14-2) on Monday, Oct. 27.

“Gabriella Bartholdi was the team catalyst tonight,” Mahopac coach Jess Ascencao said. “Her speed and ability to carry the ball down the field and into the circle is crucial to our success. Gabby scored back-to-back goals in the second quarter like this and from that point on the whole team picked it up.”

“I have to give credit to Carmel in this game for coming out fast and strong,” the coach added. “They were determined and it wasn’t until our first goal in the second quarter that we were able to gain momentum.”

Mahopac junior Kayleigh Pontillo (1 goal) and senior captain Anastasia Villani (1 goal, 1 assist) provided additional support, and the defense stood tall before keeper Sam DiMilia, who did not need to make a save en route to her sixth shutout of the season.

That defensive unit will need to be equally stout against Clarkstown, the combined North and South program.

“We are very excited for quarterfinals and the opportunity to play Clarkstown,” Ascencao said. “The biggest thing we need to adjust is our energy from the start. If we come out strong, I think we have a good chance of moving forward.”

Should the Wolf Pac survive the quarterfinals, they would face the winner of No. 2 White Plains vs. No. 7 Scarsdale in Thursday’s semifinal on Oct. 30. The Tigers defeated the Red Raiders, 1-0, in early September, and Mahopac suffered a 3-2 loss to White Plains on Oct. 9. This side of the bracket is wide open with the survivor expected to face two-time reigning NYSPHSAA Class A champion Mamaroneck, ranked among the top programs in the nation.

The Carmel win was further preparation, according to Villani.

“The first quarter was like a game of ping-pong,” she said. “It really went back and forth with nobody giving in. Neither team had been able to get a shot off anywhere or put anything in. In the second quarter, we started to work around the defense and use the width of the field. We were able to transfer the ball to the opposite side of the field and utilize our forwards to create scoring opportunities. In the third quarter, we kept the momentum up and kept our foot on the gas pedal. We had great passing, using the middle and the outside of the field to move the ball past their defense. We utilized flat and through balls into space for our offenders to run onto. We were also able to cause many corners. We used these to create even more scoring opportunities.

“We are all really excited for our next playoff game against Clarkstown,” she added. “If we continue to work as hard as we do and as a team good things can happen.”