Lead by the largest group of seniors in the last four years the Knights traveled to Red Hook to face off against the 2013 league and playoff champions Brooklyn Friends.  This was the first fixture of the year for EI, and a challenging schedule began quickly against a fast and physical side in BFS that outscored opponents 28-0 in league play last season.  It has been a notoriously difficult fixture for the Knights, who have never looked comfortable in games verses this opponent in recent years. 

 

The score line of this season’s league match would suggest that 2014 was more of the same, but the game on the field told a very different story.  The central midfield duo of seniors Finley Martin and Ana Maroto played a smart and controlled passing game, which provided numerous opportunities for LREI that simply would not go in.  The best of these opportunities was a tremendous movement in the second half, which opened up sophomore Lucy Tamarkin for a shot just outside the 18-yard box.  She ran onto a pass coming across the field and drilled a perfect shot aimed just inside the far post that drew a fantastic save out of the Brooklyn goalkeeper. 

 

The back four fielded by the Knights contained only two players who played for them last season, and only one player who has played as a starter there for more than one season.  But the job they did despite the goals that were given up was tremendously gritty and intelligent.  Junior Maya Pacheco-Berger had the unenviable task of marking the largest, fastest player from the opposition, who also happened to be last season’s leading scorer for the league.  She not only stayed with her for most of the afternoon, but still managed to contribute to the overall play of the team going forward.  Center backs Minnie Hutchins and Hazel Hutchins combined to not only shut down the other BFS forwards, but also to recycle possession and support the midfield.

 

Possibly the play of the game was junior goalkeeper Sara Caplan’s full extension, point blank stop on a BFS shot late in the second half.  She would finish the game with 10 saves.

 

Despite high-energy pressing and encouraging passages of play, the loss does see the Lady Knights begin their league campaign at 0-1.  Their next game is against York Prep, another 2013 top-four finisher in the ISAL, on Monday, September 22^nd on Randall’s Island.  This fixture last season saw a thrilling 5-5 tie.