Somers Season Ends with Loss to Rye

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At Rye High School, the clock was winding down on Somers season and quite a few careers. One in particular was Sydney Ingraham, and no surprise, she stayed in character. “You play to the end,” said the senior, and a leaping interception turned into one last goal for Somers parents to voice appreciation for their standout. Of course, the sentiment went both ways in the 16-6 semifinal loss.

“I love our parents. They’re so great and support all of us,” beamed Ingraham.

No wavering in this game either, the girls definitely gave the crowd a reason to believe for most of the game. This especially after the elephants didn’t tuck tale after falling behind 3-0.

The same goes when Katherine Ebeling twice denied subsequent Somers advances. First Lyla Mancini’s drop off to Ingraham didn’t give any ground on a falling down shot at 5:50, and three minutes later, Mancini’s pass across to Caitlyn Mayfield fell prey to the Rye stop gap.

The Garnets with the takeaway, Emma Donaldson got into the act for Somers. Mary Ebeling drew the penalty, and the Somers goalie got the deflection. Rebound to Julia McCartin, the offense was ready to do damage.

A little help from a Rye hold, Somers made no apology, and Mia Paulmeno gladly continued the ingratitude. She lined up for the free shot, and with two defenders draping, the attacker got Somers on the board with 42 seconds remaining in the first.

Onto the second, Ingraham was up first. A short lift, she took the low ball and put the Tuskers on the run. That is until Mancini took her time.

In the end zone, she waited, waited and kept waiting. “It was really tricky for the offense to get open. The defense was very good,” said the senior.

Mia Paulmeno tried first but didn’t let the crease cut go to waste. On the way back, she screened Emma Barton’s defender, and Mancini was perfectly in sync. “I was able to find a clear pass,” said Mancini.

A 3-2 game at 11:01, the first seed didn’t blink. Up with the draw and down the field, strong ball movement resulted in a shooting space penalty shot for Beau Whaling. Twirling her stick, the attacker took one step, and the projective made it 4-2.

In at 9:37, the turning point of the game was next. After Meadow Dondl scooped Ingraham’s lift from the center, the defender had the ball stripped on the sideline. Giving chase, Dondl clipped Paige Tepedino in the head, and a yellow card was waived.

A two minute penalty, Rye took advantage, and Tepedino was the first to give back. Alone in front of the goal after her shot missed, she received back from Annie Toulouse, and Rye was up three at 8:56.

In need of a draw win, Somers was unable to chase down a ball that rolled all the way to the 30. Beau Whaling remained onside and took the pickup. Around the horn, Caroline Doyle drew the penalty, and her shot from eight yards away added another at 8:15.

6-2, Somers was able to finally kill the advantage, but Rye continued to roll. They added two more goals, and the writing was clearly on the wall. No quit nonetheless, Mayfield ran down Ingraham’s draw at 3:26, and on the set up, Mancini decided not to pass. She wrapped around into space, but her shot hit the post and kicked high into the possession of Rye.

Then Rye got really underhanded. Toulouse raced out from the end zone, and the ground skimmed on the follow through her shot was low enough to beat Donaldson.

Up seven with 1:13 to go, Somers needed a momentum shift. Dondl first, she ran down Ingraham’s push to the sideline, and next, Paulmeno won a violent scrum in front of the net. Gladly taking her lumps, the junior teed off, and her goal gave Somers something to sharpen their tusks on to close the half.

A point that was quickly made to start the third. Ingraham won the opening draw, raced downfield and put Klein in position to succeed. The senior drew the penalty, and after connecting, Ingraham was back to the grind.

Straight up went the ball, and the in air collision of sticks had Dondl running under again. Of historic proportions, the effort amounted to one last go for Mancini to Ingraham. The middie received Mancini’s assist in single coverage, did a two step, and the score had the passer wishing she could go to Notre Dame with her running mate.

Florida Atlantic for her own destiny, Mancini wasn’t packing her bags just yet - especially after Dondl took down another Ingraham win.

Into the zone, Somers faltered. Blake Sasse swung her stick and stripped the ball from Klein.

Ten minutes to go and off the other way, Rye really made it hurt. Mary Sack the engine, she paused on the right and found Caroline Doyle cutting over the middle. With a clear line of sight, the middie gave Rye a 10-5 lead.

Still, Donaldson kept it there. Going low, the sophomore stopped Doyle’s free shot at 7:15 and got the same result when Toulouse tried to go underhand on the curl in front of the net.

Three minutes left in the third, Somers couldn’t close the quarter. Double teamed on the left, Sack didn’t panic. She lofted a pass into a heavily defended Sasse, and unbothered, the middie got off a shot that beat Donaldson with eight seconds left

Rye added the backbreaker at 8:47 of the fourth, and it was eventually time to reflect. “No one thought we would get this far. So getting to the semis is such an accomplishment,” said Julia McCartin.

No doubt, Jocelyn Klein wasn’t just thinking in between the lines. “I learned a lot about leadership and friendship,” she said of her ten year stint on lacrosse fields.

More than words as the postgame hugs crossed party lines. “A lot of us grew up playing club with all these girls, and it’s awesome to see them succeed,” Klein clarified.

And the example has rubbed off. “The seniors have taught me to be resilient,” said Paulmeno, and obviously not the only one, the future of Somers lacrosse is in good hands.