Eastchester’s Brianna Williams makes a save during a game at Tappan Zee Sept. 15, 2015. Tappan Zee won 1-0.
Tappan Zee’s Amy Cohen gets past Eastchester’s Keeva Fay during their game at Tappan Zee Sept. 15, 2015. Tappan Zee won 1-0.
Eastchester’s Emme DiPasquale (4) fights for the ball with Tappan Zee’s Kiersten Oettinger during their game at Tappan Zee Sept. 15, 2015. Tappan Zee won 1-0.
ORANGEBURG — It took a few games, but Tappan Zee grinded hard and got its first win of the season, a 1-0 decision, against a stout Eastchester defense on Wednesday.
Tappan Zee’s Sara Domenick is pressured by Eastchester’s Alex Rodriguez (21) during their game at Tappan Zee Sept. 15, 2015. Tappan Zee won 1-0.
Tappan Zee had a slight advantage in possession and chances at the end of the first half, but the teams went into halftime scoreless.
The pep talk at halftime was simple for the Lady Dutchies.
“We didn’t want to slow down, so we just kind of kept it going,” Tappan Zee sophomore forward Theresa McGovern said. “We worked more together to pass the ball and get good shots.”
In the 44th minute, McGovern dribbled the ball up the middle and took a shot that deflected off an Eastchester defender to the right side. Senior forward Amy Cohen got to the rebound, and shot a high-arching shot over Eastchester junior goalkeeper Brianna Williams and into the lower left corner.
“I saw the opportunity, and I took it,” Cohen said. “I saw the ball come out, and I played it out on how I could hit it on my left foot because that’s my dominant foot.”
For Eastchester, it was the team’s first loss of the season, after a 3-0 to start.
“We rely on our goalie and our defense too much; unfortunately, there was a mistake and they capitalized with the game-winner,” Eastchester coach Frank Fiore said. “Defense all year has been playing great, but there’s only so much you can rely on the defense before you have to get on the offensive side of the ball.”
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Player of the game:Theresa McGovern, Tappan Zee: The sophomore forward showed excellent poise and skill with the ball all game, and was credited with an assist on Cohen’s goal.
Turning point: Eastchester had its best chance in the 67th minute, but a shot from the middle of the box was parried away by Tappan Zee goalie Alex Connelly on a diving attempt to preserve the lead.
Stat line:Tappan Zee — Cohen had a goal, McGovern had an assist and Connelly made seven saves. Eastchester — Williams made eight saves.
Quotable: “I think it’s really going to boost our confidence,” Tappan Zee’s Cohen said of the win. “Now that we know the momentum to go further on; we can win and we know we can beat teams now.”
Suffern holds state contender North Rockland to draw: In a back-and-forth affair at Suffern Middle School, the Mounties got goals from Kyra Greenbaum and Tatiana Cruz and held North Rockland, a finalist in the state tournament last year and a team currently ranked third in the state Class AA rankings, to a 2-2 draw. Maria Cabrera and Naya Rivera scored for the Red Raiders.