Momentum builds as Pac takes 4 of 5

A week that opened with all the right vibes — three straight wins over Somers, North Salem and Pawling — veered off script in a 7-0 setback to visiting White Plains on Sept. 22. But the Wolf Pac didn’t dwell on it.

They shoved that loss into the collective rearview and responded with the kind of urgency coaches love, rolling to a 5-1 road win at Walter Panas on Sept. 24.

The scheduled Carmel matchup on Saturday, Sept. 26, never materialized because of the storms, leaving Mahopac with a recent 4-1 tear on the field hockey green and a sense that things are moving in the right direction.

Against Panas, a robust and balanced attack propelled the Pac to victory. Senior captain Reese Harney, sophomore forward Brynlee Davis, junior forward Taylor Stillwaggon (one assist), senior forward Fiona McManus and senior forward Lily Holguin each banged the boards as Mahopac fired 22 shots on goal. Senior captain Kayleigh Pontillo added an assist, and junior midfielder Christiana Pikoulas contributed two assists in a balanced effort in front of sophomore goalkeeper Maddy Bucci, who made four saves.

“It was a win that we needed,” Wolf Pac coach Jessica Ascencao said. “Hopefully, this gave us the confidence we need as we head into the second half of the season. It was awesome to see so many different players on the field finding success.”

Against White Plains, the Tigers pressured the Mahopac zone early and often, peppering Bucci, who made six saves. The Wolf Pac found ways to generate a moderate amount of offense after a slow start, but the Tigers would only bend, not break.

“I don't know what happened to us at the start, but we were way out of position the entire time,” Ascencao said. “After the 4-0 first quarter, we made adjustments and actually made it a more even game. We had plenty of opportunities to score, but couldn't get it past their defense. [It was] not our best defensive day, as they kept scoring quickly in transition.”

In the 2-1 win over Pawling, the Wolf Pac scored the game’s first goal for the first time all season.

“We played a good game and scored first this time,” Ascencao said. “It was good to see the team starting a game strong and getting the first goal early. We showed great control and composure throughout the game and are really starting to work well together. It was a great end to the week with three games and three wins.”

Harney and Pontillo each banged the boards for the Wolf Pac. Bucci needed just two saves between the pipes, but defender Aulona Berisha also thwarted a potential game-tying attempt by Pawling.

The week began with an exciting game against North Salem on Sept. 16. The visiting Wolf Pac won in overtime for the first time all season, 2-1, on Stillwaggon’s goal.

Senior captain Lola Mulero also scored, and Pontillo added an assist.

Bucci notched five saves in the win, stiffening between the pipes after Mahopac fell behind 1-0 to open the third quarter.

“While we dominated the first half, we were not able to score,” Ascencao said. “North Salem came out strong after halftime, waking up our defense after scoring the first goal. [It] seems like we like to come from behind.”

The Wolf Pac were up to the task and handled the rush that came with overtime, finishing off the Stillwaggon corner.

“They told me they ‘love the adrenaline,’ so it was awesome to see our team fight,” Ascencao said. “This was the first time we have played OT, but they were excited for the challenge. They executed our strategy well on the field. We had a two-minute card during OT, but that did not stop them from attacking [strongly] and drawing corners. Eventually, back at full strength, Taylor was able to score with no time left. North Salem played a strong game with diving efforts until the end of the game. It was such an exciting atmosphere to be able to pull through with the win.”

Mahopac was also able to chalk up a 2-1 triumph over visiting Somers on Sept. 14, notching its first win of the season. Bucci made nine saves, while Stillwaggon and McManus each recorded a goal and an assist while working in tandem.

“It was a close game with a comeback right at the end,” Ascencao admitted. “I’m very proud of the adjustments we made coming into this game and throughout it. Somers scored early in the first quarter and we played most of the game behind. It wasn’t until the last three minutes of the fourth quarter that we were able to score. 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. The whole team rallied in the fourth quarter with a never-quit attitude. 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.”

The Wolf Pac were set to find out on Sept. 28 and Oct. 1 when they challenged Section 9 power Rondout Valley and Section 1 heavyweight Lakeland before hosting Fox Lane on Oct. 3 at 12:30 p.m.