By Jen Holden
Northport’s field hockey is at it again.
For the sixth time this season, the visiting Tigers secured a shutout and, this time, with a 6-0 blanking of Connetquot Oct. 10, earned a postseason berth.
Senior Olivia Lewis scored the first goal five minutes in, on her way to a hat trick. She scored twice in the first half.
“We did a good job possessing the ball,” Lewis said. “It was in our half almost the entire game. We moved the ball well and our off-ball movement was good. We did a good job keeping it from the
other team.
Junior Lily Fox added a goal and one assist, scoring off a penalty shot, and junior forward Taryn Saturno rounded out the scoring for the first half, 4-0, on a corner shot.
“We had a lot of different players come in and we definitely used the width of the field.” Fox said.
Saturno said her teammates worked on sharing the wealth.
“I think we did a really good job like playing as a team and passing to each other and working for the ball and assists early,” Saturno said. “[The team] made sure that we each got equal opportunities to get some good goals.”
The second half challenged the Tigers’ stamina as the Thunderbirds applied pressure — forcing Northport passes and allowing Connetquot to steal the ball and gain two breakaway chances.
The Tigers were able to slow the game and regain control of the ball, allowing the Thunderbirds just three shots on goal, all of which were blocked by sophomore goalie Hayley Hayden. The midfield also blocked Connetquot from gaining yards in the Tigers’ zone.
Lewis scored again before sophomore Kate McLam rounded out the scoring, 6-0, for the 10-3 Tigers.
Northport head coach, Gina Walling said she’s happy how her team has developed since the start of the season, and thinks they’re on the path toward success.
“They did a good job focusing on playing their game, maintaining their game and working on things they needed to work on,” she said.
The Tigers walked off the field with smiles on their faces and their sights now set on a state finals appearance.
“They are starting to put it together,” Walling said. “It’s great for postseason.”
Northport will visit Sachem East Oct. 12 at 4:30 p.m. before playing Garden City in a nonleague game at Veterans Park Complex, Northport, Oct. 14 3:30 p.m.
