Lady Cougars Field Hockey Defeats Nemesis Gov. Livingston

Time is running out for the Cranford High School field hockey team, but the urgency of the moment might be what the team needs.

The Cougars broke through against nemesis Governor Livingston Tuesday at Memorial Field with a 2-1 victory to give the team a 6-5 record and stop a four-game losing streak. They have to be at least .500 by the end of next Wednesday to qualify for the upcoming state sectional playoffs.

Cranford has three home games, Kent Place (Friday), Union (Monday) and A.L. Johnson (Wednesday), before the cutoff.

The Cougars opened the season with a 2-1 win over Kent Place, beat Union 3-2 in overtime, but lost to A.L. Johnson 5-0.

“Johnson’s a powerhouse,’’ said Cranford coach Megan Snyder.

Governor Livingston has played like one against Cranford. The Cougars had been beaten by Governor Livingston twice -- 1-0 in the season opener, then 2-0 in the Union County Tournament last Saturday -- but from the start on Tuesday, Cranford seemed to know just how important the third meeting was.

The Cougars had a whopping 13-3 advantage in corner shots and converted off one to win the game.

“It was a must win when you’re 5-5, but this win puts us in good position to make it,’’ said Snyder, in her first year as head coach.

Junior Hillary Joseph, who had come close early in the game, broke through against Governor Livingston's (8-5) goalie Cassie Kinney at 12:54 of the first half. But Stephanie Soares tied the game for Governor Livingston off a scrum a little more than eight minutes later. Cranford carried on after intermission and had three good shots at Kinney in one sequence off a corner in the second half. Finally, with just 4:01 left in regulation, sophomore middie Maria Guarisco tipped a shot off an Amy Negrin shot past Kinney for the game winner.

“We have to start scoring more off those corners,’’ said Snyder. “It was a set play, but she lifted it instead of hitting it.’’

Guarisco was standing right at the right post and tipped it high past Kinney.

“I was supposed to be at the post in case she hits it in,’’ said Guarisco, who has five goals. "We always have a lot of corners against this team, but today we did it. I think it wasn’t them (the first two games against Governor Livingston), it was more us. They were our first game and we were getting used to playing as a team again and Saturday I think we were just tired. But now we have made a new formation,  and it’s making it easier to make it down the field with better passing.’’