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05/14/2017 12:00 AMThe Valley Regional girls’ lacrosse squad is aiming to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010 this spring, and the Warriors have put themselves in position to accomplish that goal. Valley is showing tremendous improvement with Head Coach Cory Needleman and assistant Randy Netsch and, with a record of 5-7, the Warriors already own as many victories as the team had in the last four seasons combined. Valley earned a split of last week’s four matchups and can punch its ticket to the postseason by winning two of its final four games.
Coach Needleman remembers the moment when her team started turning the tide in its favor this season. After Valley took a 14-9 defeat at Northwest Catholic on April 29, Needleman realized that the coaches needed to meet their players halfway in order to see the improvement they wanted.
“That loss was the turning point for us. We got down as a team, and I needed to make some adjustments. What we were trying to teach them was going in one ear and out the other,” said Needleman. “I thought something had to change, and it needed to start with us as coaches. We had a team meeting to determine how we could be more effective in teaching. We took in all the different ways our kids needed to learn effectively. That was when we started to come together as a team.”
It’s hard to argue with the Warriors’ results following that meeting. After losing four of its first five games this year, Valley went 4-3 in the next seven, including wins versus Fitch and Old Saybrook in a grueling stretch of four games in four days last week.
In their first contest, the Warriors faced off against non-conference squad Fitch at home and won by a 19-15 final on May 9. Senior captain midfielder Brianna O’Brien led Valley’s goal-scoring attack and was followed by sophomore Alexandra Ruel. Also scoring goals for the Warriors were junior captain attacker Kathryn Burr, fellow junior Hilary Gahran, and freshman Celia Ghilani. O’Brien is typically the captain that leads the way offensively, but Coach Needleman says all her three of her captains are leaders both on and off the field.
“I honestly believe I have the best three captains,” said Needleman. “They always ask questions, wanting to know how they can improve as captains on and off the field...All three take the time to speak to me before the game and after the game. Their dedication cannot go unnoticed as they are always the first ones there and the last ones to leave. They make sure everyone on the team is taken care of and is ready for every practice and game. I am very lucky to have them as captains.”
The next day, Valley headed to Old Lyme and took a 16-6 defeat against one of the top teams in the Shoreline Conference. Once again, O’Brien and Ruel led Valley’s offense on the day. Coach Needleman knows that the Wildcats prove a tough matchup for any opponent because they move the ball so well and force teams to scramble on defense. Still, she felt that her squad learned some valuable lessons from the loss.
“They are just a phenomenal team. They pass the ball and they just know someone will get to it and catch it,” said Needleman. “It was good playing a team like that because you have to play the best to be the best, and now the girls know what to work toward.”
The Old Lyme game marked the return of Valley’s starting senior goalie Rhyan Nedobity, who had missed most of the season with injury. As a result, junior captain Jaime Jaillet was able to return to her natural defender’s position after having held it down in net for the past few weeks. Even though the Warriors didn’t win, Needleman was pleased to see her team put its regular lineup on the field.
“Rhyan’s goal was to get back for the [subsequent game against Old Saybrook],” Coach Needleman said. “When she was ready against Old Lyme, we told her to go in and have her practice, so she’d be ready. We knew she’d be seeing quality shots against them.”
On May 11, the Warriors were back home to host Old Saybrook and prevailed 14-11. Ruel led the Warriors in scoring, while O’Brien also contributed several goals. Coach Needleman said that Jaillet and junior Kylie Papoosha spearheaded Valley’s defensive unit in this victory.
“She can see a little bit differently from that position. She controls the defense; basically, her and Kylie,” Needleman said of Jaillet. “It was so nice to see them playing again together. They shined in the Old Saybrook game and the defense really started to click for us.”
Valley finished its week by taking the long bus ride to Immaculate in Danbury, where the Warriors dropped a 13-5 decision. O’Brien and Ruel were Valley’s top goal scorers. With her club playing its fourth game in as many days, Coach Needleman saw that the Warriors were running on fumes in this one.
“Today, we had no legs left,” she said. “We started to come to life in the second half, but it was a little too late.”
Needing two more victories to clinch its first postseason berth in several years, Valley hosted Somers on May 15 (after press time); had Haddam-Killingworth at home on May 17 (after press time); hosts Old Lyme on Senior Night at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18; and then finishes on the road against Fitch at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 20. As much as she wants her team to make states, Coach Needleman already considers the 2017 season a big success, and she looks forward to seeing how the Warriors keep growing in the years to come.
“I’m just really happy with these girls. They are listening, and they want to learn, and that’s all a coach can really ask,” says Needleman. “The girls know that it’s not going to happen overnight, and that they have to work hard. Watch out for us. We’re going to get even better. We’re going uphill, not downhill.”