EAGLES 1, BLUE WAVES 0
Close is just not good enough
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RIVERHEAD--She knows they are getting closer.
Cheryl Walsh-Edwards, coach of the Riverhead Blue Waves field hockey team, can see that her young team is getting better each week. But like many teams on the rise, the Blue Waves are still looking for that breakthrough, that seminal win that will take their ascent to another level.
Riverhead came close to one of those moments on Friday, yet lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Rocky Point Eagles.
Sheila Curry scored off a pass from Casey Heely two minutes into the first half for the only goal of the game. Riverhead had a chance in the final minute of the second half, but failed to capitalize on the opportunity.
The win improved the Eagles' record to 7-2, 6-2 in Suffolk County Division III. The Blue Waves are 4-7, 3-6.
"Rocky Point is a quick, aggressive team, and that style wins game," Walsh-Edwards said. "This was not a bad game for us, but we are disappointed we lost."
Most of the first half was played on Riverhead's half of the field. The Blue Waves' best scoring chance came in the final minute of the second half, when Quiera De Costa fed Olesya Shayda on a fast break, but Riverhead was just not quick enough to capitalize on the chance.
"We needed to play that final minute with a sense of urgency," Walsh-Edwards said. "We just didn't act quickly enough."
Scoring has been a problem for the Blue Waves all season long.
"We've got a lot of sophomores and freshmen on the forward line," Walsh-Edwards said. "Our midfielders are thinking defense, not offense. We need to feed the ball upfield and be in more of an offensive mindset."
In contrast, Rocky Point's attack consisted of almost its entire team, as the Eagles often sent nine players deep into Riverhead territory.
The Blue Waves were quite often stopped at midfield.
Riverhead goalkeeper Alison Doscinski made three saves to keep her team close, but close is increasingly not becoming good enough for Walsh-Edwards.
"We are so close," she said with a sigh. "We are winning the games we should win and losing the ones we are supposed to lose. We are getting closer in the games we lose. We are just not putting our whole game together yet."
That seminal win has been elusive.
"To get that breakthrough win, we need everything to come together," Walsh-Edwards said. "We don't have a lot of experience, so we are not used to making quick decisions. I want these girls to taste that kind of win. I really think we can do a little more and get that win. I can taste it."
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