Sachem East's Marissa Cuevas does whatever it takes to stop shots in win over North
Sachem East goalie Marissa Cuevas watches the movement of the Sachem North players on Friday at Sachem North. Credit: George A. Faella
When Marissa Cuevas crouches, much of the upper half of the cage is left exposed.
The senior goalkeeper for the Sachem East girls lacrosse team said she stands 4-11 ¼ — “the quarter’s important,” she said — so teams like to try and shoot high against her. But Cuevas baits offensive players into those high shots, and more often than not, she explodes upward to make saves.
Cuevas was at her best against intradistrict rival Sachem North, making eight saves and leading East to a 10-3 win in a Suffolk I game on a foggy Friday afternoon.
The game was part of Sachem North’s Laxin’ For Autism fundraiser, which included nine boys and girls varsity and junior varsity games this weekend to raise money for the Spectrum of Dreams Foundation, The Williams Syndrome Association and other Sachem-related special needs initiatives.
“I say pound for pound, she’s the toughest kid I know,” Sachem East coach Thomas Erb said of his goalie. “She wrestled in the winter with the boys. She was the starting goalie for field hockey and went up to the states. She is a competitor. She will stop it with her toe or with her head, it doesn’t matter.”
She made four saves in each half, but her efforts in the first half allowed Sachem East (4-6) to build its lead. After Cassidy Griffin scored for Sachem North (6-4), East used five goal-scorers in a 5-0 run to take a 6-1 lead.
Carolyn O’Brien went behind-the-back for Sachem North to make the score 6-2 heading into halftime. After a slow opening 12 minutes to the second half, East found its rhythm offensively and scored four straight, opening a 10-2 lead.
“I can’t save everything, but [when they do score], I can’t let it get in my head,” Cuevas said. “I think mental toughness is a key factor, especially playing goalie.”
Kaylee LaMonica had one goal and four assists, Rachel Weber had two goals and one assist and Kristen Shanahan and Morgan Zimmerman each had two goals. Shanahan was key on draws and in picking up loose 50-50 balls that swung the game in East’s favor.
“In the beginning of the game, we always say that 50-50 balls are ours,” Shanahan said. “When we see the ball on the ground, it’s just immediately like, ‘Let’s go. Our ball.’ ”
The score differential was rare for a meeting between these two teams. In their five prior matchups, each contest was decided by two goals or fewer.
“We’re playing really good team lacrosse right now,” said Erb, who added that his team has improved immensely since dropping five of six games between March 27 and April 8.
Ward Melville defeated Connetquot, 16-8, in the first game of the day. The following game between Smithtown West and Smithtown East was postponed because of lightning and will be played at 11 a.m. Saturday at Smithtown West.
To conclude the event, host Sachem North plays Mamaroneck at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in boys lacrosse, followed by a 5 p.m. showdown between Floyd and Southampton.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
