Blue Devils Capture Thrilling Last Second Victory
October 10, 2023
While the Huntington varsity field hockey team is in the midst of a rebuilding season, the Blue Devils have never lost their swagger. Following a record-setting 2022 campaign, an inordinate number of star players graduated and the current retooling of the program has produced some bumps along the way. All of that makes last Saturday afternoon’s 1-0 victory at Lindenhurst all the more satisfying.
Senior Ella O’Heir scored off an assist from freshman Caroline Mitek with 22 seconds remaining to give Huntington a thrilling win on a rainy day in Lindenhurst. Sophia Weiss was spectacular in goal, stopping seven blistering shots.
“We all played with intensity and didn’t give up, which paid off in that last 30 seconds,” O’Heir said. The senior has tallied four goals this fall.
Huntington’s defense was simply magnificent in holding the Bulldogs at bay. “This was an amazing win for us,” senior Olivia Polinsky said. “We held strong on defense. We marked up the other team’s players well and intercepted many of their passes.”
It was the second victory in three days for Huntington, which topped William Floyd on Thursday, 1-0. The back-to-back shutouts are the highlight of the season to date for the Blue Devils.
After a three period scoreless deadlock, Huntington finally got on the scoreboard when Sophie Lange scored off an assist by Mitek in the waning minutes of the game. Weiss recorded 10 saves against William Floyd, which has six wins this season. Weiss now has 110 saves this fall.
The Blue Devils have three games remaining with West Islip, Northport and Smithtown East.
Huntington will celebrate Senior Day on Wednesday. A 3:45 p.m. ceremony with players and parents will precede the 4 p.m. game against West Islip. A team party will follow the game on the Blue Devil Stadium track outside the fieldhouse.
