Holy Child Lacrosse
After Season-Opening Loss, Holy Child Bounces Back in Style

– By Jim Byrne –

After opening the season with a 20-7 loss to Rye Country Day, the Gryphons were able to notch their first win of the season Tuesday, April 10, with a 16-7 win over Masters at Manhattanville College.

Holy Child came flying out of the gate, and outscored Masters 10-1 in the first half. It was exactly the kind of effort head coach Abby Owen was looking for after the disheartening loss to the Wildcats.

“I was pleased how the team responded after the outcome of the opener,” said Owen. “We have a young team, but they are energetic and play as hard as they can. I think they were disappointed in the first game, so they were really fired up to play against Masters. We were able to bounce back with a great first half where we really stepped up our attack.”

Sophomore Maggie Ryan led all scorers with five goals and three assists. Ryan was a virtuoso in the first half, lighting up the scoreboard and directing the Gryphons to their current 1-1 record. “Maggie has great stick skills and she is a very smart player,” said Owen. “Last year she played third home, where this year she is first home. She runs the attack and excels in that area.”

While Ryan was prolific in attacking the Masters' goal, junior co-captain Maddy Pendergast acted as the glue of the Holy Child offense. Pendergast only tallied three points on three assists against Masters, but she acted as the fulcrum of the Gryphon attack, setting up her teammates on countless occasions. It seemed that whenever she received or threw a pass, the ball reached its destination flawlessly. “Maddy has a great attitude and a great knowledge of the game,” said Owen.

Senior co-captain goalie Erin Wade made 14 saves on 21 shots over the course of the game. Although the defense played well in the first half, they allowed Masters to attack and score on Wade frequently in the second half. Owen would like to see her defense play better in future contests.

“Erin played a good game, but I would have liked the defense to be more disciplined,” said Owen. “They have to commit to double teams and force more turnovers. We have some work to do, but I was certainly pleased with the overall outcome. We can definitely be better.”

Of note on the team is Rye junior Mairead Kennelly, who has only been playing the sport for a year. Last year, Kennelly, as a new player, was put on defense, but this year Owens has her playing midfield, where she can fully put her athletic prowess to use. “She's a great athlete who handles anything and everything I throw at her,” said Owens. Against Masters, Kennelly scored two goals and had one assist.

Rye sophomores Parrish and Hadley Duncan also put in a good showing against Masters, with Hadley scoring three goals and an assist, while Parrish added a goal. Sophomore Charlotte Tierney and junior Ali Barber, both Rye natives, combined for three goals and four assists.

The Gryphons will get a rematch with Rye Country Day Tuesday, April 24, at Manhattanville, but will have to play three contests before that. They will host LI Lutheran Saturday, April 21.