John Jay Lax Steps Up in Win Over Minisink Valley

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Friday, May 3, John Jay had a few different looks when they took on Minisink Valley at Contest Field.
Jojo Degl was out due to injury and simply had Coach Jess McDonough staying on point.

“We can’t control when somebody gets hurt. We can only control how we respond,” she said. And then it was just a matter of how well the message sunk in.

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“The girls responded well,” said McDonough, and a 15-7 victory made good on the words.

With the draw position abdicated, the Degl presence was still there. “I worked in practice with Jo,” said Kaitlin Condon.

An extension that was readily apparent and kept it in the family.  The freshman forced the ball forward, and like nothing changed, Finja Degl scooped up the bounce.

A long pass by Degl did give Minisink the ball. But Jojo stayed put and did what she could.  “Rah, Rah,” is her chant, according to McDonough, “She loves to cheer on the team.”

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Of course, the message was received, and Molly Gallagher was the first to hear it. She reached up for the save, and the defense got the ball up the field. Eventually dumping off to Kayla Shapiro, Degl was in receipt out front and was still feeling at home. The freshman lobbed the ball into Amelia Inglis, and she made easy work of the Minisink goalie.

The draw going the other way this time, Minisink would make do.  Riley Boice swung right, passed back to Ava Downing in the crease, and she swung over her left shoulder to tie the score.

9:07 left in the first, the Friday night crowd was about to see that Jordan Kauftheil was definitely not on the injured list. Her juke at the 15 yielded a step and a shooting space penalty. Dead on, Isabella Odland didn’t have a chance, and Kauftheil had the first of her seven goals.

In at 7:19, Condon gave John Jay the chance to extend. Not ready to run yet, the Wolves turned the ball over, and at 6:35, Downing scored on the penalty shot to tie.

Now, the Wolves were fully awakened, and their tales wagging, the girls ran the floor like a basketball team.  Jane Brennan picked up the turnover, forced her way through a sea of green and hit Finja Degl on the run.

On the gallop, Kauftheil took her teammate’s pass in stride, and she was off to the races. But an ocean also to beat, there was no holding back the midfielder. Another penalty drawn, Kauftheil aimed down and bounced the ball in at 5:14.

The lead taken for good, John Jay’s roll continued on the turnover.  Inglis picking up the ball this time, she dropped to a trailing Brennan, and the Wolves set up for a post up. Kauftheil received 15 yards away, backed down the defender and then spun ahead for the overhand.

4-2 with 3:54 remaining in the first, this time Kauftheil formed a sisterhood with Condon.  The ball went back to the middie, and the connecting lead pass once again kept Finja Degl from feeling like a foster child. In stride, Finja drew the penalty and scored at 3:18.

A three-goal lead, John Jay again celebrated by triangulating. Up the field on a turnover, Inglis passed the ball behind the net to Nicole DiNapoli, and Brennan received in prime position.

Ducking under the defense, Brennan literally lit the candle. “It was a nice little birthday goal for her,” said McDonough.

Also her first, Brennan’s move up to offense in Degl’s absence really upped the celebration and had the junior anticipating what the last Brennan to score a goal would say.  “I hope she thinks I look like her,” said Brennan of her sister Annabel.

A 6-2 game, the defense continued to make do.  Audrey Oestreicher got the interception, and back the other way, Brennan showed she could dish as well as receive. On the right, the middie hit a trailing Kauftheil, and she was good again at 1:04.

Not done with the quarter, Condon found Degl again.  Forward and to the left, Degl swooped in, and DiNapoli had no problem doing it like an only child. She danced and grooved on the left and swung over her right shoulder for an 8-2 lead.

The first period scoring concluding, Kauftheil would complete the 7-0 run by scoring at 10:56 of the second. Maybe too much breathing room, Minisink responded with a four-goal run to close the half.

A stop needed, the stop gap delivered. Logan Barry swung around from behind, and with a clear, close-range line of sight in play, Molly Gallagher had her own twirl. She turned her stick, got the deflection and then was able to cover the loose ball behind the net.

Ten minutes left in the third and Degl was away.  In control and up the field, Jay set up and Shapiro would draw the penalty.

The ball was initially stopped by Odland, but she could not cover. The rubber rolled, and Kauftheil was the last one to touch before it went over the goal line.

Odland did deny Degl’s shot on the subsequent possession, and maybe a shift in momentum was at hand. Sorry, the defense continued to harry, and Brennan would get the scoop.

Passing up to Kauftheil, she continued the transition game to Shapiro, and that left Inglis in position. The lob pass made, Inglis cut through two defenders, and the 12-6 score had Jay sitting pretty.

6:54 left in the third, and the Wolves weren’t done with the larceny. Boice briefly seeing an open attacker in the crease, the middie had her eyes opened by Kauftheil. The junior stepped in, made the pick, and Degl was soon in position to put the game away. The double team not mattering, she swung around and went overhand at 4:37.

An insurmountable 13-6 lead, McDonough praised the whole.

“The girls stepped up,” she concluded. “That’s what being part of a team is supposed to be.”

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