Pryor's goal propels Ward Melville
Ward Melville midfielder Vanessa Pryor watches her shot against Northport in the Suffolk high school field hockey game. (Oct. 1, 2011) Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Those in attendance at Ward Melville field hockey games don't have to see it to have an inkling of what happened. It's become a distinct pop -- that loud thud created when the ball smacks hard against the back padding of the cage. Yep, that was probably a Vanessa Pryor goal.
"I put everything I have into it," the midfielder said of her shots. "No matter what it hits off, that ball needs to go in the goal."
That it did, with 16:49 remaining, propelling Ward Melville to a 2-1 win over Northport Saturday in a Division I game.
Maggie Vachris slipped a pass about 10 feet left of the goal and set up Pryor with a clear lane. And if the ball could've cringed . . . Pryor rifled one that whizzed behind the goalie and put the Patriots (6-2, 5-1) ahead.
Michaela Aymong had given Northport (4-3, 4-2) the lead at 14:47 of the first half, but Kim Geiger, off a pass from Katie Koester, tied it at 6:06.
"They're always tough," Geiger said of the Tigers. "I think people underrate them, but they always give us a run for our money."
Like in last year's Suffolk Class A semifinals when Ward Melville needed a late goal to win, 1-0. This time, the Patriots dominated time of possession and drew 33 penalty corners, but Northport didn't allow the scoreboard to reflect it. That was tight defense and Gabby Gallo's 13 saves, including two diving stops.
"It's always a lot of pressure when we face great teams," said Patriots goalie Andre' Bongiorno (three saves). "But we're starting to show who we really are."
There was some question about who -- rather, how good -- they were a couple weeks ago, following losses to Sayville and Sachem East. The four-time defending Long Island champs graduated half their roster and for the first time in recent memory, had looked vulnerable. But the Sachem East loss, from which they've rebound to win four straight, "made us realize this is a new a team and we have to work harder," Pryor said. "We can't live off the past."
But how good are these Patriots? Is this still a championship-calibur team? "Absolutely," Pryor said. "Without a doubt."
