Red Bank Catholic High School looked primed for a field hockey upset on Sept. 21 at Rumson-Fair Haven High School.
The Bulldogs are in first-place in the Shore Conference A Central Division and widely considered a divisional favorite this year. But on Sept. 21, Red Bank Catholic took a one-goal lead 10:00 into the first half.
Julianne Kopec dribbled to the top of the circle and blasted the ball past the goalie’s left leg pad. It was only the Caseys’ second shot of the opening half. Rumson-Fair Haven was controlling possession.
But Kopec, a center defender, and her defensive mates were thwarting the Bulldogs’ passes and drives. Kopec repeatedly blocked passes and stole the ball from attackers. Another RBC defender, Hannah Howard, blocked two shots on the goal line.
Their efforts were tremendous. But with 3:11 left in the first half, Rumson-Fair Haven finally scored, tying the game and opening the floodgates. The Bulldogs scored three straight goals in the second half and won, 4-1. Red Bank Catholic generated just one shot in the second half.
“I think we played pretty tough in the beginning,” said Red Bank Catholic coach Megan Pietrunti. “But they are a very talented team.”
The Caseys are pretty talented in their own right. They are still 6-2 overall and 4-2 in Shore Conference A North Division play, even with the loss to Rumson-Fair Haven.
That 4-2 divisional record is good enough for third in the A North Division, behind Rumson-Fair Haven and Shore Regional High School, two powers.
Red Bank Catholic has also looked like a power at times this year.
It beat Saint John Vianney High School, 7-0, on Sept. 4, Monmouth Regional High School, 7-0, on Sept. 11 and Holmdel High School, 8-0, on Sept. 18. The Caseys have outscored opponents, 30-2, in their six victories.
But their two losses have been to Rumson-Fair Haven and Shore Regional. The Caseys were forced to become a defensive team in those losses, and Pietrunti was encouraged by the effort of her defenders.
“They did the best they could. They kept pushing and knew what they needed to do to keep it out of the cage,” Pietrunti said. “Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. You get a little tired after a while.”
Pietrunti was particularly pleased with Kopec and Howard on Sept. 21.
“They were all very focused, from the bus ride coming over here to the warm-ups to the end of the game,” Pietrunti said. “They were ready.”
Red Bank Catholic has one more game this week, at Manasquan High School on Sept. 27, and five more division games coming up. Pietrunti is confident that the Caseys will get back on track.
“We just have to figure out our mistakes and move on from here. We see them (the Bulldogs) again next month and that’s going to be at home. So hopefully we fix some of the things we did wrong today,” Pietrunti said. “They play their hearts out.”
