Calhoun ousted by Massapequa

Playing some of its best soccer of the season and riding a three-game winning streak, No. 4 Calhoun opened up its Nassau Class AA girls’ semifinal playoff matchup against top-seeded Massapequa last Saturday night applying plenty of pressure to a team it had lost to twice during the regular season.

In fact, the Lady Colts had a pair of corner kicks and several good opportunities within the first five minutes before the Lady Chiefs were able to go on the attack.

But once Massapequa did settle the game down, it went on the offensive and scored four first half goals on the way to a 5-1 victory. It’s the fourth time in five years Calhoun (5-9-2) has had its season ended by the Lady Chiefs. “We went in there and played as hard as we could,” coach Lori Biscardi said. “We really were in the game.”

The first-half scoring binge opened on a header 10 minutes in and included a penalty kick after a great save by Calhoun’s junior keeper, Gillian Stapler. A handball was called after the rebound hit the hand of a Lady Colts’ defender who was trying to clear it from the penalty box. Senior forward Taylor Iacono scored Calhoun’s only goal, her sixth of the season, in the first half and Stapler made 13 saves.

The Lady Colts advanced to the semifinals on the strength of a 3-0 victory over No. 12 Long Beach on Oct. 27, with Iacono setting up all three goals with her eighth, ninth and 10th assists. Two were converted by sophomore stopper Taylor Curcio, while senior sweeper Marianne Cassisi had the other goal. Despite lacking ideal size for getting up on corner kicks or direct kicks inside the 18-yard line, Curcio has a knack for using her feistiness to win balls in the air and converted both of her goals on headers. “She’s so aggressive and will even fall to the ground [fighting for the ball],” Biscardi said.

Curcio and Cassisi were joined on the backline by juniors Dana Brown and Morgan Connelly and freshman Sarah Tappeto on the outside in support of Stapler, who didn’t face a single shot in her half of work against the Lady Marines. Christine Argentieri played in the second half and had two saves. “We kept the ball on the ground and had great passing,” Biscardi said. “The defense pushed up pretty fast. We get [the ball moved] up quickly and have a fast transition.”

A 3-2 victory over MacArthur in the regular season finale on Oct. 19, catapulted Calhoun into the No. 4 seed which earned the team a first-round bye. Junior Olivia Levy and Healy, two of the team’s seven individual award winners this season, scored in the win over the Lady Generals. Levy’s second goal midway through the second half was the game-winner. Also earning individual honors were Iacono, Stapler, Curcio, Tappeto and freshman Brittney Munson.

“To have the experience of being in the semifinals [is important],” Biscardi said, noting the graduation of just two senior starters, Cassisi and Iacono.