BREWSTER, N.Y.—After barely edging Brewster a week before the playoffs opened, the Wolf Pac girls lacrosse team went back to the drawing board, made a few adjustments, and had a different recipe for last Friday’s Class B, first-round game against those same Bears, again at No. 8 seed Brewster.
This time, Mahopac played its game, dominated draws – with Ashley Koch taking seven and freshman Bella Gangemi another five – and made the most of those possessions in a 15-7 victory. Mahopac led 5-3 at halftime, and went up 12-6 at the end of three, after a third-period flurry.
The win put No. 9 seed Mahopac (6-11) in tomorrow’s (Wednesday, May 28) quarterfinals, where the team will face No. 1 seed Fox Lane at 5 p.m. Brewster ended its season at 5-12.
Pac coach Amanda Frederick had a clear message to her team going into the first-round game.
“We were happy to get Brewster,” she said. “We felt we should’ve won that last game by more than one. So we re-worked and fixed some things. We altered our draw play a bit, Bella Gangemi did the majority of the draws, and with her and Ashley Koch, we dominated the draws. They were both great.
“We feel like if can control the draws, we can win the game,” the coach added. “And Gianna Cirelli, Harney, Koch, Gangemi, all did a great job scoring. Harney and Koch work so beautifully together, slowing the ball down, challenging the defense, then going to work. It’s beautiful to watch.”
Cirelli delivered four goals in the win. Harney, Koch and Gangemi each had a hat-trick, with Harney adding three assists, and Koch handing out two. Gianna DeVito added a pair of goals and three assists; Amanda Carey needed to make just two saves in net.
Mahopac also beat Hen Hud, 17-13, the prior Monday in the regular-season finale, a win Mahopac needed to get into the playoffs.
Koch and Harney each had four goals and two assists, Cirelli scored five goals, DeVito had a hat-trick and two assists, and Gangemi had a goal. Carey stopped nine shots on net.
Frederick said draw control will be key in challenging Fox Lane, and said her team has no fear of the top seed.
“They play fast, and have some strong players,” she said. “Winning draws will be big, as well as clean ball movement.”
The winner advances to Saturday’s semifinal round.
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