Hart, Paternostro lift Steinert past Nottingham

HAMILTON » Unlike past years, when the Steinert’s girls lacrosse team would run away and hide from Klockner Road rival Nottingham, the Spartans had trouble pulling away in the teams’ first meeting this year.

Steinert eventually got things moving on all cylinders, scoring the game’s final four goals to start a running clock en route to a 15-5 victory over the improved Northstars Thursday.

Junior Hannah Hart and sophomore Emily Paternostro led the assault with five goals apiece, giving Hart 16 and Paternostro 15 for the season.

Hart, who is 12 goals away from becoming the first Spartan to score 100 in her junior year, said there is no real technique to her abilities.

“It’s really just like, you’re attacking the goal,” she said. “So any way you can get it in, that’s the way to go.”

Coach Lorraine Heisler praised her midfielder but was quick to note, “It’s not just Hannah this spring. We have a lot of depth in that aspect.”

Paternostro and Hart scored two early goals to give Steinert a 2-0 lead before Amelia Duffy countered for Nottingham to make it 2-1. The Spartans responded with another double barrel attack from Paternostro and Hart before Michaela Donnelly pulled Nottingham within 4-2.

Three straight by Steinert’s Kaylie Skillman, Paternostro and Madison Padilla upped the lead to five but the Stars are showing some fight under first-year coach Matt Paglione and Jezenia Sanchez tallied late in the half to make it 7-3.

After Ashley Goimbert scored the first of her two goals to put Steinert up six, Duffy scored again to keep the Stars within striking distance. Nottingham was also helped by first-year goalie Giuliana Pocino, who was outstanding in making 15 saves.

“Our other goalie wanted to do track and Pags is my basketball coach so I did it for him,” Pocino said of her decision to come out. “It’s so different from soccer. The goal’s bigger but the ball’s bigger, so it’s just easier in soccer.”

But Pocino looked like she knew what she was doing, earning a congratulations tap from Heisler after the game.

Steinert (3-1) finally pulled away, scoring six of the game’s final seven goals.

“I think the first half we were a little disorganized and we were trying to rush passes and rush shots,” said Heisler, whose team has won three straight. “That was pretty evident in the first half. I think we settled ourselves down in the second half and made better decisions with the ball overall. They did a very good job.”

Steinert (3-1) Nottingham (0-2) Goals —

Hart 5, EPaternostro 5, Skillman, Padilla, Goimbert 2, O’Boyle (S). Duffy, Donnelly, Sanchez (N). Kopec, Gulsby (S).

30 (S). 10 (N).

Martz 5 (S). Pocino 15 (N).

Assists — Shots — Saves — 7 3 8 2

Follow Rich Fisher on twitter @fish4scores

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