With two games remaining on its regular season schedule, the Huntington girls’ lacrosse team is looking to secure a playoff berth. The Blue Devils currently sit in a spot in the standings that would qualify them for the post-season, but the squad knows it can’t let its guard down this week.
“We have our last two games before playoffs this week and we are really just trying to hang on to our spot right now,” senior Amber Stieve said. “We want to play great games for our last two and put in all our effort. We’re really looking ahead to playoffs and hopefully getting further into them this year. We have some good talent on our team. We just need to connect a little sooner in games.”
Huntington plays at Brentwood on Wednesday at 4 p.m. and then hosts powerful Northport on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Blue Devil Stadium.
The Blue Devils enter the week with a 7-5 record in Suffolk Division I play. Huntington has defeated William Floyd (14-2), Bay Shore (13-10), Longwood (11-6), Copiague (15-1), Commack (14-8), Sachem North (11-5) and North Babylon (19-4). The team has lost to Smithtown East (12-10), Riverhead (9-6), West Islip (16-9), Smithtown West (10-9) and Ward Melville (17-9).
Huntington will head into battle this week relying on his offensive stalwarts, including Abby Maichin (40 goals; 16 assists), Emma Greenhill (32g;15a), Isabella Piccola (22g;10a), Sarah Agrillo (19g;18a), Paige Lennon (10g;2a) and Bella Annuniziata (3g;7a).
Stieve and Marissa Stafford both play big roles on both offense and defense, helping to control the midfield.
Huntington’s defense has been superb all spring. The Blue Devils will once again be counting on Catie Ricciardelli, Holly Wright, Megan Agrillo and Jordan Forte to put the brakes on opponents’ offensive attacks.
Goalies Maya Santa-Maria (70 saves) and Megan Bacik (40 saves) have combined to stop 110 shots in the cage for the Blue Devils.
Several other young player have also made significant contributions to the Blue Devils this spring and coaches Kim Gilroy, Linda Costello-Roth and Beth Vogelsang will be counting on them to come off the bench and help life the team to victory again this week.
Huntington doesn’t want the season to end this week. The Blue Devils are hoping to reach the playoffs and then take one game at a time in the post-season.
