Clarke field hockey's Ayla Abate and Mia Lucas score two goals apiece in win over Seaford
Mia Lucas (11) celebrates Ayla Abates (left) goal to put Clarke up 1-0 over Seaford during a Nassau field hockey game in Westbury on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Clarke’s Ayla Abate and Mia Lucas know how to work a defense. The pair made that clear on Tuesday.
Abate and Lucas scored two goals apiece in the host Rams’ 4-1 win over Seaford in a non-league field hockey game in Westbury.
Watching the pair of forwards take over the game came as no surprise to Clarke coach Ashley Resende.
“They’re a power team together,” Resende said. “Their dynamic and their connection really works well together and I’m proud of them for that. Ayla has great leadership and Mia really brings the spirit to this team, which I love.”
Abate wasted no time putting the Rams on the board, scoring less than 90 seconds into the first quarter. Lucas continued the momentum in the second, deflecting a drive from the stroke line as time expired.
Lucas echoed the “power team” sentiment, saying she and Abate tend to move in tandem.
“We just chase each other down, back and forth,” Lucas said. “If [Abate] has the ball, I’m moving up for her. If I have the ball, she’s moving up for me. We just give and go and eventually one of us is in a shooting position.”
The duo continued to alternate goals in the second half, with Abate finding time and room to score late in the third quarter and Lucas capping it off within the final two minutes of regulation.
Madison O’Hagan scored off a penalty corner in the third quarter and Catie Clasen made 10 saves for Seaford (4-7).
Clarke (2-6) struggled to find success against a difficult Conference I schedule early in the season, but has since begun to put the pieces together. Abate said Tuesday’s high-scoring win was a reminder of what she and her team can do.
“We can hang with other teams,” Abate said. “Just because we play a lot of high-level teams who are at the top of their conference, it doesn’t mean we can’t compete with them. This really boosts our confidence because we know we can win, so we know we can do it again.”
The win was a true team effort from all over the field, Abate added. Now, she hopes her team can continue to foster chemistry.
“This is the first time I’ve seen us work so well together,” Abate said. “It started on defense and it transitioned all the way up to offense. That’s something we’ve had a disconnect with this year but, today, we connected really well and it boosted our self-esteem.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
