Brewster Girls Find Early Going Rough

BREWSTER—Lindsay Biondi scored seven goals and Megan Yarusso added two goals and two assists, but it wasn’t enough, as the Brewster High girls lacrosse team fell to Fox Lane by a 17- 10 count Saturday in a game played in Bedford.

Brewster’s Lindsay Biondi fires on Yorktown keeper in last Thursday’s loss to the Cornhuskers. SKIP PEARLMAN The Bears also dropped a 16-9 decision to Yorktown last Thursday, and fell to John Jay, 18-9, in the season opener, and stood at 0-3.

Saturday at Fox Lane (4-0) the host remained undefeated, building a 10-6 lead at halftime.

In addition to Biondi and Yarusso’s production, Brewster got a goal and one assist from Jess Blumberg.

Lindsay Toppe finished with eight goals and added three assists, and Sammy Jo Tracy added six goals for the Foxes.

Erin Taylor stopped nine shots on goal for the Bears, while Jenn Pollock had eight saves in net for Fox Lane.

Meagan Yarusso of Brewster launches a shot on goal as Yorktown defense pursues. SKIP PEARLMAN “We knew those two girls (Toppe and Tracy) were very good, and that’s where the focus is supposed to be, but we didn’t seem ready to play,” Bears coach Gerry Walsh said. “We didn’t follow our game plan. Right now, we’re very undisciplined, and our team defense is not very good at this point.”

The prior Thursday at Brewster, Yorktown (2-1) jumped out to a 6-4 halftime lead, and then took the second half, 10-5.

Lindsay Scott dropped seven goals and two assists on the Bears, and teammate Sarah Scott added a hat-trick and two assists.

Biondi came through with five goals for the Bears, Yaruso added three, Blumberg had one and Dana Molloy had one assist.

Taylor had 10 saves in net for Brewster, and Fredericks stopped five shots for the ‘Huskers.

Bears keeper Erin Taylor makes a save against Yorktown. SKIP PEARLMAN Walsh liked the fight he saw in his team against Yorktown.

“We mis-handled the ball some, but we competed against them,” Walsh said. “We got it to 9-7, but then they went on a run… Both of those teams are good, but right now we’re not helping ourselves. We need to make corrections in practice, and carry that over into games.”

Against John Jay in Tuesday’s season opener, Biondi had three goals and one assist, Blumberg had a hat-trick, Lauren DiTaranto, Yarusso, and Molloy each had a goal, and Taylor had 10 saves.

Brewster went 5-11-2 last spring, and lost nine starters to graduation from a team that lost to Mamaroneck in the sectional quarterfinals.

Four-time All-Section middie Emily Biondi, and All-Section midfielder Sarah Hogan are the losses that will be most difficult to replace.

Liz Lleshaj (R) of Brewster moves ball upfield. SKIP PEARLMAN On the defensive end, the Bears welcome back Taylor, a senior, in goal, and freshman Kristen Ohberg is also back. New players include senior Emily Lonegan, soph Brittney Frates, Jess Turin and juniors Ellie Lestrange and Rachel Zurheide.

The defense is a work in progress, according to the coach, but improving with each game.

“We need a lot of work,” Walsh admits. “Erin and Kristen have experience, but we’ll need some time to gel. We have some decent stick skills, but we have to play better team defense.”

At midfield, Brewster has Biondi – a prolific scorer – returning, and senior Molloy, sophs Blumberg and Dana DaRos, and junior Emily Sullivan will join them.

“They have tremendous potential,” Walsh said of the group. “They have great speed, they just have not played well together yet…. youth and inexperience are showing. They just need some time.”

Brewster’s Dana Daros looks to pass. SKIP PEARLMAN On the offensive end the Bears have Christine Feighan, a senior with some experience, returning, but she’s out with an injury for now. DiTaranto, a freshman, and Yarusso, a sophomore, return with some experience, and sophs Liz Lleshaj and Kelly Chadmick join the group.

“Feighan should be back in a couple of week,” Walsh said, and the group is skilled. Yarusso is explosive, has good feet… the group is young, with some experience.”

Meaning the Bears’ destiny depends on how well – and how quickly – they can come together on both ends of the field.

“We have athletes, and some speed, but we’re young and inexperienced,” Walsh concluded. “I think we’ll get better as the season goes on. We started out with three tough games, so the kids need to get some confidence. But we can work out our mistakes, and I know we’ll improve.”

Dana Molloy of Brewster had an assist in loss to Yorktown. SKIP PEARLMAN Brewster visits Putnam Valley Friday at 4:30 p.m., and the Bears are at Lakeland/Panas Monday at 4:30 p.m.