Baldwin continues to roll

After missing the Nassau County field hockey playoffs for the first time in eight years with coach Mike Hoover at the helm, Baldwin has turned the page on 2013 in a big way.

The Lady Bruins picked up in October where they left off in September and sealed a trip to the postseason with a 2-0 victory at Port Washington on Oct. 1. Junior Christy Davis had both goals, and senior goalie Jenn Doyle made four saves as Baldwin avenged a loss to the Lady Vikings in last year’s regular-season finale that kept it out of the playoffs.

“We’re really playing well,” Hoover said. “I’m not surprised. We’ve got a hard-working and athletic group. I knew after the final game last season that we’d have a lot of important pieces coming back.

“Port Washington is a long trip, and it was the first game we had on turf [this year],” he added. “We practiced on tennis courts to prepare for the faster pace. The girls were sharp and rose to the occasion.”

Baldwin improved to 4-2 with four games remaining, only one of which comes against a Class A opponent. If the Lady Bruins can defeat East Meadow on the road Oct. 21 they’d be the No. 2 playoff seed behind Massapequa, which edged them 2-1 in a shootout on Sept. 18. “It’s great to say we’re already in the playoffs,” Hoover said. “If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll have a great shot to be in the championship game.”

Davis, who ranks among Nassau’s leaders in goals (nine) and points, is dangerous in the open field along with senior Sophia Nicolas. “They’re explosive and can find another gear,” Hoover said. Nicolas assisted on one of Davis’ goals at Port Washington.

Another major weapon is freshman Daniella Specht, described by the coach as a “polished player with all the tools.” Specht acts like a point guard on the field and has three goals and two assists. “For a young player, we ask a lot of her,” Hoover said. “But she’s got great skills and can handle it.”

Junior Dierdre McIntyre and sophomores Rachel Hayes and Emma Wong also get significant playing time at forward and contribute, Hoover said.

The midfield is anchored by senior Sophia Moore on the left side. “She’s a great communicator and defender,” Hoover said. “She never stops going and is a consistent playmaker.” Sophomore Kayla Brown works the center of the field and anticipates well, while sophomores Nadia Elcock and Jamie Bunting provide steady play. All three scored in a 6-1 victory over Sewanhaka on Sept. 20.

A rebuilt defense in front of Doyle has jelled and is playing aggressively, Hoover said. Senior Dasia Jones, a composed vocal leader, and juniors Kaity Kelleher and Lizzie Rattobali, as well as sophomore Kelly Brady, are all getting the job done. Doyle, a returning starter and captain along with Nicolas, put in a lot of offseason work to perfect her craft, Hoover noted.