Dover field hockey goes 3-0-1 in marathon week

Wins over Croton, Valhalla and Rye Neck

Wake-up call from Valhalla on Friday

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By John M. Benson
September 28, 2007

Next Home Game: North Salem October 2 at 4:15 p.m.
Brewster Tournament: October 12 & 13

Coach Kara Acken prepared her Dover varsity field hockey team for a grueling week of four games in five days, and for the most part, the Dragons performed with consistency and excellence.

Dover began the week at home on September 24 with a 1-0 win over Croton, defeated Valhalla 3-0 on the road on Tuesday, buried Rye Neck 8-0 on the road on Wednesday, then returned home for a practice and a rest on Thursday.

Having defeated Valhalla fairly easily on the road on Tuesday, the Dragons got a wake-up call from the same team at home on Friday, as Valhalla pressed Dover to a scoreless tie that ended in darkness. Dover got the message, that they need to bring their A Game to every contest if they want to be a champion.

The Dragons do want to be champions this season, want to repeat their first-ever championship at the prestigious Brewster Tournament, and play deep into the sectional and regional playoffs, because the team is loaded with seniors and returning starters this year.

Coach Acken said at the end of the rugged week, “My girls are playing as a true unified team and as a result of that they are playing beautiful hockey. We have a tough schedule ahead of us, but my ladies are focused and determined, so we look forward to the competition to come.

“If they work together, and that is the main thing, you can have plenty of stars on the team, but you are never going to be good unless you can work as a team.

“Our strength comes from our returning starters, and everyone else is picking it up very well and very quickly. Our seniors are pumped, they are very excited. If they go out with the determination and the drive, they will do fine, but they have to stay on top of their game. They lead by example. We are going to the Brewster Tournament, and we are looking forward to defending our title. We have plenty of success on this team, so we just have to make sure that we work hard to keep that and maintain it. As long as we work together and communicate, and have fun, we will be fine, and the players will shine. You’ve got to love the game. If you love the game, the rest will work.

“The returning starters are Alicia Tamboia, who is my starting center back, Allie Rinaldi who is my left back, Cassie Hyatt who is in goal, Michelle Djonovic who is my right forward, Carly Anderson who is my center forward, and Meghan Lahm who is my center mid, so those are our six returning starters. Gina Perri is a returning starter. She played left mid last year. This year, I started her off on defense because I needed her back there because people were hurt. Now I am able to bring her back up to left mid, and she is doing a phenomenal job there at left mid. I have other seniors who played a lot last year, but they just weren’t starters, such as Lisa Quaglina, who is the sweeper now and she starts.

“They give us very strong experienced leadership. They work hard at practice, they play hard, and they work well with our younger players, giving them good, constructive criticism. One day a week I stay after school to help with my students, and on that day, the captains lead the practice on their own until I get out here. When I get here, they are all always working hard as a team, doing what they are supposed to be doing.

“The girls who are starting for the first time are right back Ally Emerson, right mid Kasie Laverro and left forward Kayla Baruffo are playing very well for us.”

Reserves Alexa Schwall, Alexandra Abrams, Chrissy Schlaw and Erin Franco are also making a solid contribution to the 2007 Dover field hockey team.