Field hockey plays tough, but comes up short versus undefeated Iroquois Wednesday

Junior Emily Markarian scored OP’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to undefeated Iroquois Wednesday. Photo / James Goller

It was a tough challenge for the Orchard Park field hockey team (4-9) to face undefeated Iroquois (11-0-1) Wednesday night, but the Lady Quakers managed to play a strong game against one of the area’s top teams despite taking a 3-1 loss.

“I’m happy with it,” senior Melissa Stoj said after the game. “I think we played really well today. Our desire to score was there. We did a good job of intercepting and going to the ball.”

Taking pride in hard-fought games, even if they are losses, is a step in the right direction for a team that features just six returning players from a season ago. Fourteen of Orchard Park’s 20 players are new to the varsity team this season. Stoj, Molly Schaffstall, Lucy Koehler, Madeline Shiley, Cori Glendenning, and Emily Markarian are the only returning players to Coach Bridget Callahan’s roster. Senior Devan Donavan transferred from Holland.

“Last season, there was just a few of us coming up,” said Stoj. “It was a lot nicer, because we had a team with a majority of girls who were already on varsity. Coming into this year, we only had a handful. Playing varsity is a lot different, but I think Coach Brown gets the JV girls prepared.”

The Quakers have done a nice job adjusting to the varsity competition as a group, according to junior goalkeeper Stephanie Pickard, who is among the players new to varsity this season.

“We have a lot of experience together as a team,” said Pickard. “We’ve been playing together since middle school. To play at the varsity level, it’s a whole difference experience. I can’t say enough about the girls. They’re getting better and better each game and you can’t ask for more from a team.”

Orchard Park is scheduled to play back-to-back-to-back games to close out the regular season October 17-19. The Quakers will travel to play at Sweet Home (0-12), then return home for matches versus Starpoint (2-9-1) and Pioneer (7-4-2).

See Orchard Park Field Hockey photos

Melissa Stoj battles for possession in Orchard Park’s 1-0 win at West Seneca West Friday. Photo / James Goller

Madison Potenza’s first-half goal was the difference in Orchard Park’s 1-0 win at West Seneca West in field hockey on Friday afternoon.

The win improves the Lady Quakers to a record of 2 wins and 6 losses.

Orchard Park’s first shutout came as a result of the team’s focus on ball control and defense.

“The whole team and defense have been improving,” senior Molly Schaffstall said after Friday’s win. “I feel that over the season, we’ve improved a lot. Getting back on defense, having the attack and midfielders get back on defense.”

While the defense has allowed just three goals per contest, OP’s offense continues to struggle. Aside from its 4 goals in a win versus West Seneca East, the team has scored just six goals in its other seven games.

“A lot of spreading out, communication, and go right until the end,” junior Emily Markarian said are a few of the goals of the offense.

Markarian assisted on Potenza’s goal while Stephanie Pickard earned the shutout in net.

Orchard Park is scheduled to host East Aurora on Monday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m.

View OP field hockey photos here

Junior Emily Markarian (right) battles for possession versus an Eden opponent during the Lady Quakers’ 2-0 loss Friday afternoon. Photo / James Goller

Captains say team continues to improve

After losing to Williamsville South on Thursday, 6-0, the Orchard Park field hockey team suffered its second shutout loss with a 2-0 defeat to Eden Friday afternoon. Despite consecutive losses in its first games of the season, the team is moving in the right direction, according to the team’s captains.

“I think we’re playing well,” senior Melissa Stoj said after Friday’s loss. “We just need to be hungry for the ball and want to score.”

While scoring is an evident issue for the Lady Quakers, the team’s defense has allowed just three goals in the last three halves.

After allowing five goals in the first half to Williamsville South, the Lady Quaker defense buckled down.

“We were frustrated, but after the second half started, we got better,” said senior Molly Schaffstall, who suggested the team has improved at creating turnovers and maintained greater ball control with carrying the ball out of their zone.

Orchard Park will look to pick up its first win of the season on the road when the team embarks on a four-game stretch of away games that begins at Williamsville North on Monday, Sept. 10.

Photos from OP-Eden field hockey

Melanie Janulewicz

Cara LoVullo scored a second-half goal to pull Orchard Park ahead of Clarence in the Class A field hockey semifinals at Amherst Thursday evening.

Senior goalkeeper Melanie Janulewicz earned her seventh shutout of the season.

The victory puts the Lady Quakers into the sectional championship against Williamsville North on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Amherst. Game time is set for 6 p.m.

Casey Young (#11) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in Orchard Park's 2-1 win over Pioneer Wednesday.

Casey Young scored as time expired to give the Orchard Park field hockey team a 2-1 win over Pioneer Wednesday evening.

With the clock winding down, a Pioneer defender was penalized for standing on the ball. Young was awarded a penalty stroke and a chance to win the game.

“(I was) trying to get it into the right hand side underneath her hand and hit it as hard as I could,” recalled Young, who said she had never attempted a penalty stroke in a regulation game, but has practiced the shot routinely.

Young also scored Orchard Park’s first goal.

The win gives the Lady Quakers an 8-5-3 record to finish out the regular season.

Samantha Sarles

Back-to-back shutouts against Holland and Lancaster improved the OP field hockey team to 7-4-3 on the season.

In a 2-0 win against Lancaster on Friday evening, the Lady Quakers received a goal from junior Kelly Hornbarger and another from Meg Manley with 52 seconds left in the game.

Senior goalie Melanie Janulewicz earned her sixth shutout in the win over Lancaster.

Senior midfielder Meg Manley

The Orchard Park field hockey team earned its third tie of the season in a contest that ended, 1-1, against Eden Thursday.

Casey Young scored the team’s goal.

The Lady Quakers have a record of 5 wins, 4 losses, and three ties.