Wildcats girls lacrosse off to solid start despite loss to top-ranked Westhampton

After winning their first three games of the season against Massapequa, Eastport-South Manor and Center Moriches, the Shoreham-Wading River girls lacrosse team got put to the test on Thursday on a cold, rainy afternoon under the lights at Thomas Cutinella Memorial team against first-place Westhampton. Though the Wildcats lost, 15-8, it was a learning experience.

Through the first quarter, the game blistered back and forth with Morgan Lesiewicz, Charlotte Erb and Kady Keegan maneuvering their way to score and keep the game tied at 3-3 heading into the second quarter. 

“The intensity was high and we were playing our game in that first quarter,” SWR head coach Alex Fehmel said. “I really felt like we had all the momentum. We were playing at home, and we had an answer for everything Westhampton was trying to do. But then we just started making mistakes.”

Grayce Kitchen got the scoring started in the second frame to give the Wildcats a 4-3 lead, before Westhampton (6-0) ripped off four consecutive goals partially thanks to a yellow card that forced the Wildcats to take a player off the field. In that two minute stretch, turnovers allowed Westhampton to score three times.

“I feel like if we didn’t have those turnovers and little mistakes, the entire game goes how that first quarter went,” Fehmel said. “The team that makes more mistakes usually loses the game. I think our team is just as talented as theirs, we just need to play more sound fundamentally.”

Shoreham-Wading River (3-1) was held under 10 goals for the first time this season. They scored as many as 18 goals in a contest but struggled to get into a consistent rhythm against the nationally ranked Hurricanes.

“Westhampton is a team that prides themselves on defense,” Fehmel said. “We knew that going in. When they started forcing those turnovers, I feel like it shifted our mindset and took us out of our normal game. I think there’s a lot we can take away from this game despite the loss.”

The Wildcats offensive attack has put them at the top of the list among Division I recruits. Maddy Herr leads the team in points with eight goals and eight assists. Kitchen has scored seven times and assisted on three more. Keegan and Erb both have six goals on the season. Reese Marcario has 13 points including five goals and eight assists. No one player dominates the ball on offense so scoring is evenly distributed, a crucial piece to any top team’s success.

“I really do feel like we have the firepower necessary to compete with the best of the best this year,” Fehmel said. “I’m glad we had this game now. Westhampton is such a great team but I think that game could have gone either way. I think we need to pull together, overcome adversity in whatever we face and whenever the pressure is on we need to rise above.”