RHS Girls’ Lacrosse
Championship Loss Stings, But Future Shines Bright

It was one of those games. The tilt for the Class C Section championship May 30 at Fox Lane High School was one of those classics in which the teams are so evenly matched, it’s a shame one must lose. In the end, fourth-seeded Nyack defeated Rye’s No. 2 girls’ lacrosse team 16-15 in sudden-death, triple overtime.

Trailing 11-5 early in the second half, it appeared the Garnets were finished. They rallied valiantly however, and tied the game at 11 in a matter of 10 minutes. The two teams then traded leads and finished regulation knotted at 14. Nyack was the first to strike in extra play, and held a 15-14 lead until the final seconds of the second OT. That’s when Rye junior Molly O’Brien – just days after her late heroics in the semifinals – tied the game at 15-15 on an 8-meter shot with seven seconds remaining.

From there the game headed to sudden-death overtime. As luck, or fate, would have it, the Indians’ sole senior, a hobbled Caroline Chesterman, scored the game winner.

It was a gut-wrenching finish for the Garnets (9-6-2), who experienced a breakout season under the tutelage of third-year head coach Maureen O’Shea. The future looks bright for the team though, and word from the program is that fans who enjoyed watching the team this year are going to love the sequel that hits the field in 2010. Rye graduates just three seniors later this month, stalwarts all in Kerry O’Callaghan, Juliana Kennedy, and Joan Graham, and will benefit from returning stars like O’Brien, junior Emma Tucci, and freshman Madeleine Kinker. O’Shea has also developed an exceptionally strong JV team, which will feed a hungry varsity entering its prime years.