In a game played under miserable weather conditions of rain, wind and cold, the New Hyde Park Lady Pumas took on the super tough Wantagh-Seaford Renegades in Division N1 play.
After a back and fourth first 20 minutes, Wantagh took the lead (at a time the match was still being played under ‘tolerable conditions’) when their attack took advantage of a scramble near goal and snuck one in far post to make it 1-0.
In the second half, the rain picked up and so did NHP as we got moving and tied the game minutes into the second half when Katie Krems fed Theodora Papadoniou on the left who snuck in a nice low shot into the far-post netting to tie the game 1-1. The game was a back and fourth affair for the remainder of the game.
Wantagh needed a win and kept pushing up, while NHP did a nice job of counter-attacking and came up inches short of the game-winning goal when Theodora just missed a point blank shot with seconds left in the game.
The NHP offense was led by Papadoniou (game-tying goal and just missed the game winner with seconds left – very spirited left-fwd play and effort), Eleni Spiratos (great tackling, nice passes, several shots on goal),Krems (assist on Papadoniou’s goal and would have had an assist had Papadoniou converted the game winner), Cara Becker (very spirited play, good hard runs on goal and fighting for the ball), Clare Iriarte (nice passing, close marking and dribbling), and Kira Crehan (good trapping and super shot late in the game that over the goal).
On defense, Casey Sanders did a great job at sweeper, closed down the Wantagh attack and cleared the ball very well. Stephanie Karczewski looked like she did not miss a beat after her knee injury and played super on the left. Casey Conners played stopper for most of the game, did a nice job of tackling and fighting for 50-50 balls. Isabel Ugolini passed well from the right on D and did a nice job on 50-50 balls also.
In goal was Ellie Eisenberg who did not give up a goal in her half of play and punted well. Edna Dudek gave up one, but did well with the wet ball in her stint in goal and blocked well.
All in all a very spirited effort and great comeback against a team that NHP had never beaten or tied in LIJSL play.
Great start to the season ladies!
