Bartosik notches 2 goals as Lawrence blanks Hamilton
LAWRENCE >> As one of the top defenders on Lawrence High’s field hockey team, Caroline Bartosik is usually trying to protect goalie Priya Patel. But when it comes to penalty corners, the junior is right in the opposing goalie’s lap.
Bartosik wreaked havoc on Hamilton West Wednesday, banging in her first two goals of the season to give the Cardinals a 3-0 victory. The scores came on two of Lawrence’s 10 penalty corners, as Bartosik was positioned on the pads during corners.
“This definitely gives us confidence for the rest of the season to just motivate each other to get those goals and get those wins,” Bartosik said. “I think we’re definitely getting in the flow and working with each other well, especially since we have no subs.”
The victory was the second in three games for Lawrence (2-5), which had just two goals all season entering the contest.
“This is a bonanza for us,” coach Megan Errico said. “The season’s been pretty much 1-0 for us every time.
“This can do everything for them. I kept calling it a curse because we lost our first three games 1-0 — two in overtime and one with five minutes left in the game. So it was like a curse, we couldn’t put it in the cage.” Lawrence’s Myah Rios, right, and Hamilton’s Nicole Vigna battle for the ball.
Unlike horror movies, however, Errico didn’t turn to herbs, potions or witch doctors to lift the curse. It was more a case of good old fashion work ethic.
“I used to focus practice a lot on defensive drills and I changed practice to work on offense, offense, offense,” the coach said. “All we’ve been doing is working on offense and figuring our positions in the circle. I told them that if they did it, it would work. And it worked, now they understand.
“Now they can say to themselves “OK, we can do this.” And it’s good because we have a lot of tough teams in the near future. It will help build their confidence and help them understand they can attack the goal.”
The Cards attacked several times early in the game Lawrence’s Olivia Corso, left, and Hamilton’s Grace Cooke chase after the ball.
but came up empty against goalie Moira Courtney, who was brought up from JV after starter Shannon Hood suffered a concussion last week.
Finally, with 5:41 left in the first half, Grace Denarski found Bartosik in front, and it was a 1-0 game. Suddenly, the pressure was off.
“I think it gave us a little bit more confidence just to relax a little bit,” Bartosik said. “We knew we had that one goal.”
“I think they relaxed,” Errico agreed. “I think they let it get into their heads a little bit, and it works them up so much and they don’t play their game. They play the other team’s game. For them to score and make a statement helped them to play their own game.”
They got two more in the second half, as Amanda Britton gained two assists
by setting up Hannah McGann and Bartosik. The possessing offense led to just three shots on goal by Hamilton.
“I’m really happy with the shutout, I’m proud of us,” Bartosik said.
And Errico is happy to see the coaches’ faith rewarded.
“Every day in school I’d walk up to them (and say) ‘You gonna score today?’ Just telling them I believe,” she said. “(Assistant) Katie O’Gorman and I were tweeting out, trying to get them to know we believe they can do it, they just need to believe it themselves.”
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