Late Farmingdale goal beats Oceanside

The Oceanside girls’ lacrosse team went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in a matter of seconds.

After Natalie Paul tied the game for the Sailors in shocking fashion with just under two minutes remaining in regulation, Emily Markovina scored her fourth goal of the contest with 17.7 ticks left as conference-champion Farmingdale withstood the late Oceanside rally to win 12-11 in the quarterfinals of the Nassau A playoffs last Friday evening at Don Snyder Stadium.

Paul and Grace DiDominica had three goals apiece, Leigha Zaman and Maeve Barrins scored twice, and Sydney Abbott also tallied for the fifth-seeded Sailors (9-7), who were eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Riley Mohr had six saves.

“The result is obviously heartbreaking, but they did everything they possibly could,” Sailors coach Ralph Montera Jr. said. “We can’t control the scoreboard. Everything they could control they did. They battled, never gave up, and we’re really, really proud of them.”

The first three quarters nearly mimicked the 14-7 win No. 4 Farmingdale (14-3) had over Oceanside on the same field back on April 18. But instead of the Dalers blanking the Sailors in the fourth quarter, Oceanside nearly did it to Farmingdale.

The Dalers carried a 11-8 lead in the final stanza when Barrins started the comeback by scoring from in close following a Farmingdale foul with 6:55 left. Just over two minutes later, DiDominica converted her own free play after being fouled twice in a matter of seconds to cut the deficit to one.

Oceanside had several chances to tie it in the waning minutes, but its shots either sailed just wide or were blocked by Farmingdale netminder Dakota Capolino, who finished with seven saves. But after the Dalers gained possession deep in their own zone, Paul picked off an errant cross-field pass and quickly rifled a shot by Capolino with 1:55 left to tie it.

But the euphoria would be short-lived. Farmingdale circled the ball around the Oceanside defensive end as regulation wound down before Markovina converted Mallory O’Keefe’s centering pass for the game-winner.

The Dalers regained possession off the draw and ran the clock out to earn a semifinal date with top-ranked Syosset.

“I thought we played good defense,” Montera Jr. said of the winning goal. “They made the play and we ran out of time.”

The Dalers held a 4-3 advantage after the first quarter and doubled their lead 69 seconds into the second before Zaman, Paul and Barrins tallied in a 2:29 span to help Oceanside take a 6-5 lead with just under six minutes left in the first half. It appeared the game would be tied at 7 at intermission, but Farmingdale was able to work the ball to Julianna Roberts, who placed a shot just inside the left post as the horn sounded.

“I don’t fault the officials,” Montera Jr. said. “I thought it was close. I don’t even know for sure. I thought it was late, but we still tied it up.”