Columiba players are all smiles after the win at Union in the season opener.
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School field hockey team has shown tremendous dedication, much to head coach Stephanie Rivera’s delight.
Columbia began the season with a dominant 7-0 win over Union on Thursday, Sept. 8, in Union.
“I’m really, really excited about this year’s team,” Rivera said. “We have a lot of young players. We pulled up four sophomores this year; we usually pull up one or two.
“Our team this year really has a lot of drive and passion, and work so well together for only playing for about two weeks. We are striving for the (Essex/Union League) Blue Division title this season and really making some history, because Columbia has never won a division title for the Blue Division.”
Leading the team are senior captain and forward Georgie Gassaro, a three-year letterwinner; senior captain and forward Sophia Vaccariello, a two-year letterwinner; and senior forward and three-year letter winner Sarah Cerny, who had four goals to lead the win over Union.
Rivera also is excited about two newcomers — sophomore Charley Drechsler and senior Olyvia Manjos. Rivera said the two players have been very dependable.
After losing to Livingston, 3-1, on Saturday, Sept. 10, at Underhill Field, Columbia bounced back with a 6-3 win over Newark Academy on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Underhill Field.
“We ended up losing 3-1 to Livingston on Saturday, but we bounced back today and worked on our areas of improvement to come out with a 6-3 win over Newark Academy today,” Rivera said after the win. “We’ve never scored more than four goals on Newark Academy in the past decade, so this was a huge milestone for us! The way my girls are able to reflect on each game, practice on those areas of improvement, then execute them on the field is such a good indication of how strong they are and confidence that this will be our best season yet.”
Here is the 2022 CHS roster.
- Sarah Cerny, senior.
- Campbell Connell, sophomore.
- Caspian Dall, senior.
- Fiona Donohue, senior.
- Charley Drechsler, sophomore.
- Georgie Gassaro, senior.
- Olivia (Liv) Graziano, junior.
- Bridget Heindl, senior.
- Lucinda Horan, senior.
- Alexa Kaplan, senior.
- Olive Kern-Kensler, senior.
- Olyvia Manjos, senior.
- Ava Reeves, senior.
- Olivia (Blair) Rodriguez, junior.
- Sarah Rubin, senior.
- Olivia Schenker, sophomore.
- Rebecca Schenker, sophomore.
- Lily Sharma, senior.
- Kate Solomon, senior.
- Sophia Vaccariello, senior.
- Eleanor Vande Vusse, senior.
- Ann Elise Van Varick, sophomore.
Photos Courtesy of Stephanie Rivera.
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