Mahopac rallied to beat Somers 2-1 on Monday, breaking a run of games in which the team struggled to score.
“It was a close game with a comeback right at the end,” coach Jess Ascencao said, noting that Taylor Stillwaggon (1G, 1A) and Fiona McManus (1G, 1A) came through in the clutch.
“I am very proud of the adjustments we made coming into this game and throughout it,” Ascencao said. “Somers scored early in the first quarter, and we played most of the game from behind.”
But things turned around late—in no small part because goalkeeper Maddy Bucci kept things close with nine saves, setting up the outburst that flipped the game on its head.
“It wasn’t until the last three minutes of the fourth quarter that we were able to score,” Ascencao said. “All three forwards had an amazing passing sequence ending with Taylor finding the goal. Then, in the last four seconds, Fiona scored the winning goal.”
Ascencao said the Wolf Pac displayed grit in the win.
“The whole team rallied in the fourth quarter with a never-quit attitude,” she said. “It was great to see that kind of energy and fight right until the end.
“We had a slow start to the season, but I think this was our turning point.”
Before that potential turning point, Mahopac had been putting up shots like nobody’s business—25 on goal in two recent losses—but goals had been tough to come by. Despite solid overall play and effective transitions from defense to offense, Mahopac found the back of the net just three times in two games against Rye Neck and Putnam Valley.
Going into the Somers game, Ascencao said she was hopeful the unit would develop a finishing touch.
“We’re playing well in the middle of the field, transitioning the ball well,” the coach said. “But we can’t seem to be consistent in the circle offensively or defensively. Once again, we’re playing the majority of the game on our offensive end but falling behind our opponents.”
Such was the case in Mahopac’s 3-2 loss to visiting Rye Neck on Sept. 10. Rye Neck scored within the game’s first minute, and the Wolf Pac was forced to play catch-up the rest of the way.
“That goal against us in the first minute was a rough start,” Ascencao admitted. “I’m glad we kept our heads up and played strong afterward.”
Mahopac did so behind the strong play of senior captain Kayleigh Pontillo (2G), who is beginning to realize her potential, according to the coach.
“Kayleigh is starting to find her groove after we moved her from forward to mid this year,” Ascencao said. “I was excited to see her taking shots from the top of the circle and finding success. This was another game that we did not play to our potential, though. We started to make adjustments, but we really need to step it up.”
Bucci made three saves for the Wolf Pac.
Mahopac opened the week with a hard-fought 2-1 loss at Putnam Valley on Sept. 8. The Wolf Pac peppered keeper Minisha Singh with 12 shots on goal, but only junior mid Bella Gangemi (1G) could bang the boards, while the Tigers’ Ella Heitman and Lia Buerkle countered for the win.
“We spent the majority of this game in our attacking 25, drawing 12 penalty corners and one stroke,” Ascencao said. “We made really good plays to get into the circle but couldn’t capitalize. I definitely see a lot of growth since our first game, and we are looking to continue these improvements through the season. We have some new players in new positions that we’re still working through. Bella is a new junior on the team who has shown her athleticism and determination. She is eager to attack the goal and today carried the ball over 50 yards on a fast break, beating the goalie one-on-one to score.”
The Wolf Pac was scheduled to visit North Salem on Sept. 16 before hosting Pawling on Sept. 18 and White Plains on Sept. 22.
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