Who's Field Hockey Player of the Week, presented by White Plains Hospital?

Since the beginning of fall season, readers have selected the lohud Field Hockey Player of the Week, sponsored by White Plains Hospital.

Last week’s winner was Ava Galati, a Clarkstown South senior, who excelled at midfield and on offensive and defensive corners over two games, including during a win over Suffern.

She joined earlier winners Alina Cavajani of Panas, Alexa Butler of Clarkstown, Taylor Stillwaggon of Mahopac, Sophia Gac of Valhalla and Lila Walsh of North Rockland.

This week, coaches have nominated seven athletes for their Oct. 12-18 play.

Their accomplishments are noted below.

The poll will close at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The senior midfielder, who leads her team in assists with 14 and has been a consistent force on offense, picked up three assists in a 7-1 win over Rye Neck and scored in the Tigers’ 4-1 win over Fox Lane.

The Tuskers senior netminder recorded her ninth and 10th shutouts of the season last week. She stopped four shots in a 1-0 win over Scarsdale and earlier in the week, on Somers Senior Night, she shut down Arlington, making nine saves in a 2-0 Tusker win.

The senior forward scored both the game-tying and overtime game-winning goal in a 3-2 win over Pelham. With the OT winner, Pontillo dribbled past two Pelicans defensemen and scored after going in one-on-one on the Pelham goalie.

The junior forward set a Rye Country Day School record by recording two hat tricks in a single week. She had three goals in a 4-1 win over St. Luke’s before putting another three in in a 5-2 win over Holy Child.

The senior midfielder was a force on offense last week, scoring four goals and recording an assist, She scored twice in the Golden Knights/ 7-0 win over Byram Hills, scored in a 4-3 loss to Hastings, registered the assist in a 4-2 win over Croton/Hen Hud and scored in a 3-1 loss to Pawling.

Coming off a week in which she scored twice, including netting an overtime game-winner, the senior midfielder again scored twice and added two assists in a 7-1 win over Nyack. The following day, she returned to overtime heroics, scoring with five seconds left in OT as the Mounties edged Pleasantville 2-1.

The senior is an upper defenseman, whose role is critical in stopping opponents’ initial advances down the field. She excelled doing that in a 2-1 win over Ursuline. Vecchiariello made multiple block tackles, stole the ball multiple times and, dodging opponents, helped create multiple offensive chances for the Panthers.

Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Who’s Field Hockey Player of the Week, presented by White Plains Hospital?