John Jay Takes Thriller Over Hen Hud

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On Tuesday May 7, John Jay faced Hen Hud at Contest Field, and a 3-0 start looked like an easy day was ahead. But the Sailors definitely brought a storm, and the choppy waters didn’t abate until the final buzzer sounded.

After Jordan Kauftheil scored on the penalty with 11.5 seconds remaining, Finja Degl came down with the final face off and secured a thrilling 11-10 victory for the Wolves.

The opening face to Hen Hud didn’t have the Sailors taking advantage, though, and John Jay got started when Kayla Shapiro pounced on the turnover. Back the other way, Nicole DiNapoli wrapped around the goal, dumped into Kauftheil, and on the curl, the middie got John Jay on the board.

At 9:40, Caitlin Condon kept John Jay in play by forcing the ball forward to Degl, and she had the scoop. Amelia Inglis then had the read from behind, and Jane Brennan was the main character in receipt. The shooting space penalty came next, and the junior middie made it 2-0.

Only 37 seconds elapsing, John Jay would get back in business after Hen Hud shot wide, and Molly Gallagher raced back to get closest to the ball. Up for a rewind, DiNapoli wrapped around again, and this time found Shapiro in the crease for a 3-0 lead at 6:03.

As it obviously turned out, the game proved closer than it appeared. Kayla McCarthy scored two straight goals, and Carleigh Ortiz tied the game with 31 seconds left in the first.

But John Jay was not ready to relinquish the lead, and Jane Brennan relied on her defensive acumen to make sure. She got the strip in the crease, and Degl dressed down the Hen Hud attack by getting there for the pick up.

The transition executed, Inglis would make the key pass from the end zone. On the spot, she hit Kauftheil, and her overhand gave the lead back to John Jay at 9:51 of the second.

The face going to Hen Hud still forced the Sailors to grin and bear it, and Gallagher was the reason. The play wrapped right around in front of the Jay goalie, and she stood tall with her stick.

But a John Jay turnover would provide the equalizer again. Hen Hud set up and McCarthy’s perfect pass to Ortiz left no chance for Gallagher.

A 4-4 game, and Brennan kept doing it on both ends. She took a pass on the right from Degl, ducked the defender, and with the lane, she made it 5-4.

4:29 left in the half, Condon’s draw move sent the ball ahead, she got the first piece and Audrey Oestreicher picked up the pie. Giving off to Kauftheil, she drew the penalty and easily made it 6-4 at 3:56.

John Jay looked like they would get some separation on the subsequent position too. Degl was set up on the penalty shot but lost the ball.

Hen Hud recovered and was soon giving Gallagher the business. Marlee Picarello drew the penalty in deep and made it a 6-5 game going into halftime.

Momentum not carrying, a little separation was next for the Wolves. Kauftheil skied for the opening face off and Inglis would make the crucial pass from behind. Brennan received, the whistle was blown and the penalty shot gave the Wolves a 7-5 lead.

At 11:04, a turnover in front of Gallagher stopped the Hen Hud possession, but it was Brennan who put John Jay on the move. She juked her way through a double team, and while surrounded by five blue jerseys in transition, the junior hit Inglis to set up the offense. From there, Inglis dumped ahead to Degl, and she scored on the penalty shot.

The cushion didn’t last, though and the Wolves had Gianna Gagliardi to thank. Three goals in a row for the Sailor, and the game was tied with 37 seconds left in the third.

Time apparently not of the essence, there was plenty of ticks for John Jay to regain the lead. Condon’s face off push to Degl got the ball rolling, and Brennan put Kauftheil in position to perfectly execute the downhill. Kauftheil leapt for her teammate’s high pass, and the middie’s falling down shot closed the third period scoring.

A 9-8 game, Hen Hud stood tall anyway. First the Hen Hud goalie denied Brennan the penalty shot, and then McCarthy bested Gallagher with a little sleight of hand. Closely defended from ten yards away, McCarthy deftly swung underhand and bounced the ball in for a tie game at 7:43.

Not for long, Ortiz did the undoing. On the break, she hit a wall of Wolves in the crease but was able to sneak the ball under the crossbar for a 10-9 Hen Hud lead.

Hen Hud now looking for separation meant Gallagher would get to do her thing. Ortiz got inside, and with a crossover in front of the John Jay goalie, her backhand was sticked aside.

Gallagher also covered, and Degl proved too hard headed to let this one get away. The middie got her skull clubbed on the pass inside and scored on the penalty.

All tied at 3:28, the goalies would both have their say before the deciding moment. Mia Dietz first cut down Kauftheil’s clear line of sight on the right, and back the other way, Gallagher faced down a point blank shot.

The rebound to Degl, John Jay called for time, and destiny was at hand. Done talking, Brennan walked it back from the end zone and hit Kauftheil at the ten. All alone, she made her rush, the defense converged and the whistle blew. Almost a foregone conclusion, the ball went low and Kauftheil took off for the sky with the game winner.