Field hockey team off to dominant start

Senior Karina Cracchiolo, senior Gabriella Malanga, and sophomore Laila Vaughan get in a ready position as the wait for play to resume.

BY RITEE KARMACHARYA

The field hockey team kicked off the season with a great 7-2 start. The team’s senior leadership and outstanding sophomores have made this start possible and set the team for future success.

In their first nine games, the girls have outscored their opponents 43-7. “Last season we changed the program and raised the bar really high,” said sophomore mid-fielder Jamie Hazel. “The highlight of the past few games has been being on a field with so much energy and determination without ever giving up near the end.”

“The energy changed completely compared to the last few years, and it shows,” said senior defensive-back Gabriella Malanga, who has contributed at the varsity level since her sophomore year. “We used to be three and thirteen, and we’ve won seven out of nine games already.” Malanga’s leadership on the defense has helped the team rack up four shutouts in nine games and hold opponents to an average of less than one goal per game.

The Knights picked up their first win of the season with a dominant 9-0 shutout on the road against Piscataway. “We did a great job with keeping the ball on the other side of the field, leading Piscataway to have no shots on our goal, which makes things a bit boring for me,” said goalie Erin Parrett, who has 64 saves this season.

Sophomore Kyra Vella, who has scored two goals this season, controls the ball along the sideline and pushes it up the field.

The come-from-behind win against Metuchen serves as another early-season highlight. “Beating Metuchen for the second year in a row was definitely an important highlight for us as a team,” said sophomore Laila Vaughan. “We were down 1-0, and, in the second half, we put the energy into the game, and we won 2-1.”

Sophomores Addison Albrecht, Adrienne Cabrera, Kyleigh Rhodes, Kyra Vella, Hazel, and Vaughn have all made significant contributions on the varsity squad this season. “I have nothing but the best things to say about our group of sophomores. They have put in so much work since last season, and deserve all the praise,” shared senior captain Karina. “Laila is our scoring machine. Jamie and Kyra know that once they get the ball to her, she’ll do something with it.”

Sophomore Adrienne Cabrera gets low to dribble the ball upfield.

Vaughan leads the GMCs in points with 42 already this season, and she has earned 90 points in her young career. “This makes me feel accomplished and confident in myself that I can keep on putting in work and effort to only get better,” said Vaughan.

NJ.com has named Samantha Larkin and Ariella Lazoja two of the Top 100 Juniors in the state and Cracchiolo one of the Top 100 Seniors. “I think this year we have an even stronger, and dedicated group,” said Cracchiolo. “We have all the tools we need to make it to the finals.”

The girls will look to continue their current four-game winning streak at 4pm today at Sayreville.

Update 10/5/23: The Knights shut out Sayreville 2-0, with goals from Larkin and Albrecht, to bring their record to 8-2.

Senior captain Karina Cracchiolo, a Top 100 Senior in the state, dribbles the ball up the field.
Sophomore Jamie Hazel, who has two goals and four assists, fights for control of the ball.
Sophomore Laila Vaughan, who leads the GMC in points with 42, chases down and airborne ball.