Lakeland eliminates Rondout in regionals
Rondout Valley High’s season came to an end Tuesday when the Ganders fell to reigning nine-time state champions Lakeland in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class B regional semifinals at Dietz Stadium.
With the win, Lakeland, of Section 1, improved to 20-0 and will play host to Section 2’s Burnt Hills at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“I’m really proud the way we played them,” Ganders coach Nanette Simione said. “They’re the nine-time state champions. They have extreme depth, experience and tradition.”
Simione added she was impressed with how the team played in the backfield after days of drilling following its 4-0 win over Red Hook in the Section 9 final and that freshman and sophomores returning next year learned a lot.
The Hornets wasted no time in getting on the attack in the first half forcing penalty corners with 28 minutes and 18 minutes left in the half, but Lakeland failed to convert either penalty.
Lakeland earned another pen-
alty corner less than a minute later and this time Julianna Cappello took a feed from Julia Cummings and smacked it past Rondout goalkeeper Azure Jones to make it 1-0.
The Hornets would remain on the attack through the remainder of the half keeping the ball on the Ganders end and forcing three more penalty corners before Emma Halderman connected off a Cummings assist with three minutes to play to give Lakeland a 2-0 halftime advantage.
The Ganders showed life in the second half, forcing a pair of penalty corners with 24 and 23 minutes left to play before Sophia Schoonmaker found the net to pull Rondout within one.
It wasn’t long, however, before the Hornets swarmed the Ganders defense as the half wore on, opening up the door for Sara Bussell to knock one in from more than 20 yards out with 17 minutes to play to make it 3-1.
A shot by Emma Ryan with 15 minutes left went wide, but one minute later Emily Ness capped off the scoring.
Lakeland stayed on the attack late, looking for more, but couldn’t convert penalty corner opportunities with three and one minute remaining.
The Ganders managed to draw a penalty corner with seconds to play but they couldn’t find the net.
The Hornets held a 12-5 advantage in penalty corners and led 15-2 in shots on goal.
Kellie Smith registered one save for Lakeland while Jones had eight for Rondout.