As a defender, Garden City senior Averie Smith isn’t typically in the spotlight.
But she stole it in dramatic fashion on Monday when, after four scoreless quarters, she buried the game-winning goal with just over seven minutes left in overtime, lifting the Trojans to a 1-0 Conference I field hockey victory over Massapequa on the road.
“Emily [Racich] took the shot, but it ended up coming back,” Smith said. “It was coming right toward me, and I saw the space and the goal, so I just shot it as hard as I could.”
First-year coach Amanda Lee emphasized the importance of composure before overtime began — a quality Smith displayed perfectly when the ball rolled her way.
“I kept saying ‘composure,’ ” Lee said. “Composure is a huge part of overtime and those possessions . . . It was great to see that in full display when Averie was able to send it in.”
The slim margin between the two teams was clear from the opening whistle, and neither side was able to find the back of the net despite 13 combined corner attempts during regulation time. Garden City goalie Shea McGovern made six saves, and Massapequa goalie Isla Sikinger made 12 saves.
“We knew coming in that they were going to be a great team and it was going to be a pretty even match,” Lee said. “We just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net early enough.”
Despite graduating nearly half of last year’s roster and welcoming a new coach, the Trojans have hit the ground running, facing some of Nassau’s top teams in their first three games — and emerging undefeated at 3-0.
“It’s definitely a team full of new faces this year, but it’s a lot of people willing to work hard,” Smith said. “These first three games will probably be some of the hardest of the entire season, so to have that experience under our belt of playing against such tough opponents, we’re definitely feeling confident.”
Lee may be only three games in as a coach, but she’s already able to feel the team’s tight bond.
“They are just the most incredible group,” she said, “and what I admire most is that they’re such a strong unit on and off the field, and I think that really plays into their game. They want to do anything to win, so they trust me, and I trust them. It’s been a great journey so far, and I’m just excited for the rest of the season.”
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