Lady Jets split OT games

East Meadow went to overtime for the second consecutive game in the Nassau County Class AA girls’ soccer playoffs, battling both No. 6 Hicksville and some of the most extreme weather conditions any team could ever face last Saturday night at SUNY-Farmingdale.

The Lady Comets rushed a free kick just off-center at the 18-yard line late in the second overtime, and freshman Danielle Jonas converted the attempt with a shot to the far side of the net, giving upset-minded Hicksville, who had previously knocked off No. 3 Calhoun, a 2-1 victory.

“It was some of the worst conditions I’ve ever been a part of,” East Meadow coach Adam Hananel said of the cold temperatures, driving rain and heavy wind. “But give credit to [Hicksville]. They did a good job. The conditions took away some of the things we tend to do, but there was a good chunk of the game where they controlled [play] and we couldn’t get anything going.”

Senior Isabella Fuduli, named to the All-Class AA team, put the Lady Jets (5-7-4 overall) on the board in the first half with a header off a crossing pass from junior All-Conference honoree Danielle Michelini, and the goal held until midway through the second. A shot by Hicksville’s Sabrina Adamo caromed off a Lady Jets’ defender and past junior goalie Alyssa Fama, to tie the game in the 62nd minute. 

“This was one of my favorite teams that I’ve had,” Hananel said. “They gave everything they had every time they stepped on the field.”

In 160 minutes of play between No. 7 Oceanside and Lady Jets during the regular season, only East Meadow’s Nikki Keicher, an All-County honoree, managed to score a goal. So it was no big surprise when 80 minutes of regulation didn’t decide which team would advance to the semifinals.

But less than five minutes into overtime of the quarterfinal matchup on Oct. 29, East Meadow’s sister duo of senior Isabella Fuduli and freshman Vittoria Fuduli combined on the game-winning goal in a 2-1 decision. Isabella fell to the ground after heading a free kick from Vittoria off the left post, then rose to her feet and left-footed the rebound into the top right corner at the 4:51 mark of the first 10-minute OT. “Credit to Bella, she didn’t give up on the play,” Lady Jets coach Adam Hananel said. “It was a back-and-forth game. I felt like we controlled the first half, but in the second half we got worn down a little bit.”

East Meadow led 1-0 at halftime but Oceanside the equalizer with 18:25 left when Julia Duffy headed in a crossing pass from Risa Zucker. The visitors put 11 shots on goal against Fama, who made a leaping save off a 30-yard chip shot with a breeze behind it early in overtime. Oceanside keeper Rebecca Cohen made eight saves.

Senior Nina Abate, named an All-Class AA player, gave East Meadow a 1-0 lead midway through the first half when she headed in a corner kick by senior All-County honoree Toula DeLeon. “It was something we worked on the day before, so it was nice to see it happen,” Hananel said.