Lancers make the last one count Lancers make the last one count (November 12, 2004)

St. Francis don't make playoffs but take down league champs

By Scott Campbell

The St. Francis girls field hockey team beat Mitty 3-2 on Nov. 4 in its final game of the year. The league champions were defeated at home by a Lancer team looking to mend the frustrations of a challenging season.

St. Francis, victimized by inconsistent play throughout the season, was eliminated from playoff contention after a 2-0 loss to Lynbrook two days earlier. For the defending Central Coast Section champions, a 2-4-5 league record entering the final game was disappointing.

St. Francis had its hands full facing a Mitty squad that had lost just once. Nevertheless, a determined Lancer team took the field and quickly showed it was up for the challenge.

"We were going to play with pride," said St. Francis Coach Kathy Lincoln. "We wanted to do it for our seniors, to have them go out on a winning note."

St. Francis used exceptional passing and the speed of its forwards to create scoring opportunities.

Early in the first half, junior Erin Lem Mon broke free from the Mitty defense and slapped a shot that bounced off the goalkeeper's pads. Keeping her stick down in case of such a rebound, Lem Mon was in the right spot to put the ball in the net for the first Lancer goal.

St. Francis added to its lead later in the first half with a goal by Soula Ellenikiotis on a penalty corner play. Rewarded with a free pass from the Mitty goal line, Brianna Dougherty hit the ball hard to Kathyryn Kamenski, who stopped it for Ellenikiotis to shoot it past Mitty's wall of defense.

The Lancers faced a scare when the ball snuck past goalie Ashley Nucera, but senior Katie Quaglia saved their 2-0 lead. Quaglia stopped the ball in the air with her stick and batted it out to prevent a Mitty goal.

Mitty (11-2-3 overall, 8-2-2 league) came out in the second half with a determination to score. The Monarchs' effort paid off as Nora Soza found the goal just two minutes into the half, cutting the Lancers' lead to 2-1.

With its goal seemingly under siege, St. Francis bunkered down to weather the storm. The Lancer defense kept turning away Mitty's forays to the net, continually slapping the ball to the sidelines.

"Our defense really held solid today when it had to," said Lincoln. "(Senior) Laura Bradrick [was] an anchor for us."

After experiencing its fair share of frustrations this year, fortune finally smiled on St. Francis.

On a rare breakaway, the Lancers were able to force Mitty into committing a penalty, resulting in another short corner play. Off the same Dougherty-Kamenski combination that led to the second Lancer goal, senior Kelsey Enquist unleashed a thunderous shot into the Mitty net.

"Kelsey's got one of the most deadly sticks around," said Lincoln.

"I knew I had to put it in," said Enquist. "It was my last time playing in a St. Francis jersey, and I just wanted to put one in for the girls."

Enquist's goal was ultimately the game-winner. Mitty converted on a penalty corner play of its own, via a shot by Katie Fleury, but the Lancer defense would concede no more.

Despite the disappointment of being eliminated from playoff contention two days earlier, the Lancers were thrilled to take down a strong Mitty team.

"It's so exciting to end our season on such a great note and [get] a big win over the first-place team," said Quaglia.

St. Francis finished its season with an overall record of 7-5-5.

E-mail Scott Campbell at sports@mv-voice.com

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