Riley Boone's saves in final seconds boost Bay Shore

Riley Boone’s outstanding performance in the cage kept Bay Shore in its first-round playoff game, so it was fitting she had to determine the outcome in the final possession.

As was the case so often Friday, the sophomore answered the call. Twice.

Boone made 16 saves, including two in the game’s final seconds, to lead the No. 8 Marauders to an 8-7  home win over No. 9 Sachem East in the Suffolk Class A playoffs. Ali Susskind and Lauren Hendricks led Bay Shore with three goals apiece and teammate Lola Leone scored with 5:17 left to break a tie at 6.

The Marauders (11-6) will play top-seeded Middle Country in the quarterfinals on Monday.

“I trusted my midfield and offense to stop the ball and then the defense picked it up,” Boone said of the final Sachem East possession, which began deep in Bay Shore territory with about 14 seconds left. “In that last second, when the ball was coming, the only thought in my mind was stopping the ball so we could make it one more round.

“The first shot went off my stick and went up and they got the rebound, hit it down and it went off my stick and up again.”

Before the frantic final moments, Bay Shore had to erase a two-goal deficit, as Emily Allingham’s fourth goal of the game gave Sachem East (8-9) a 6-4 lead with 16 minutes left.

About six minutes later, Hendricks scored off a free position before Susskind leveled the score with 7:07 left.

“After halftime, we started moving the ball quickly, and when the opportunity was there, we got to the cage,” Hendricks said.

Leone took full advantage of one of these opportunities with the go-ahead goal off an isolation play.

“It was perfect communication. My teammates cleared the way and I came right around,” Leone said. “We don’t give up and we showed that today.”

Hendricks added to the lead with a goal with 3:38 left, but Kristen Shanahan netted her second 30 seconds later to keep Sachem East in the game.

The Flaming Arrows won the ensuing draw control, but were denied by Boone around the two-minute mark. Bay Shore gained possession and ran the clock down, before Sachem East forced a turnover that preceded Boone’s final stand.

“I’m so confident knowing we have her back there in the cage,” Susskind said. “Whenever someone has a one-on-one, I know she’s going to make a stop.”

Or two.