Fayetteville-Manlius, ESM field hockey take close early defeats

CENTRAL NEW YORK – Both the Fayetteville-Manlius and East Syracuse Minoa field hockey teams have, as their main focus, trying to climb up the ladder of their respective classes to emerge as true post-season threats.

In F-M’s case, it meant improving upon last fall’s 7-9 record, and the first step in that process was playing in the Whitesboro Tournament on the first weekend of September.

Friday’s opening-round game against Little Falls proved a thriller, with the Hornets getting a hat trick from senior forward Carlye Bryant yet still finding itself taking a 4-3 defeat to the Mounties.

After trading early goals, F-M went up 2-1 on Bryant’s second goal of the night. Then she struck a third time in the third period, but Little Falls still caught up, 3-3, and then went ahead in the late stages of regulation.

Bryant’s three goals was half her entire total (six) from the 2023 season, while goalie Emma Dobrovech made 10 saves. The Mounties won by having Adrianna Izzo and Jayden Regan each score twice.

Forced into Saturday’s consolation game against New Hartford (who dropped a 1-0 decision to Whitesboro), the Hornets were able to rebound and, in another close decision, pull out a 3-2 win.

Bryant, who had a goal and assist, got some help as Elizabeth Kilmer converted twice, helping F-M build a 3-1 advantage through three quarters, enough to fend off New Hartford’s late charge. Dobrovech gained six saves.

ESM, meanwhile, had its own tight season-opening game against Homer on Thursday night at Spartan Stadium taking a 2-1 defeat to the Trojans.

After a scoreless opening period, Maddie Carr found the net in the second quarter, assisted by Dani Orzel, to get ESM on the board, but Homer matched it and then broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth quarter, goals by Mallory Kline and Brylee Darnell overcoming seven saves by Alexa Davis.

The Spartans have games this week against Cicero-North Syracuse and Auburn as F-M would go to Baldwinsville and Liverpool.