Carey dealing with adversity

To say things have been challenging on the soccer pitch for the Carey girls this season would be an understatement. Graduation was tough on a Lady Seahawks team that finished 9-3-1 in 2015, and a myriad of injuries to key players have made things even more difficult. 

After last Friday’s 5-0 loss to undefeated Floral Park, the Lady Seahawks are 1-3 in Nassau Conference AB-4 (1-6 overall). The injury bug hit so bad at Floral Park that Carey was left with just eight healthy players for the game’s final 10 minutes.

Despite all of the adversity, Lola Intagliata, in her 16th season as head coach at Carey, is proud of her team’s effort and intestinal fortitude. “We’re losing the game 5-0, had just eight players on the field, and we had the option of stopping the game or playing fewer minutes,” Intagliata said. “But, the girls refused to give in. They insisted on playing. That says a lot about this group.”

The roster has just five players with varsity experience, and three of the five have suffered injuries that have kept them off the pitch. 

Keeper Gabriella DeVito, who started and had a tremendous season as a freshman, has been out of the lineup. She had a season-high 19 saves in an opening day loss to West Hempstead. Senior Alanna Barnes has done a good job while DeVito has been out.

Center midfielder Bianca Capriotti was the team’s leading returning scorer. She has missed nearly all of the season with an injury, but Intagliata hopes to her senior captain back shortly. An injury has kept Carey’s top defender Alison Adamo on the sideline, and sophomore Marilena Mangiaracina, a player expected to be a top scorer, has been nursing herself back to health as well.

Last year, when the team was loaded with seniors, the mantra was “strong alone, champions together.” This season, Intagliata has leaned on the words found in New York Times bestseller Grit, a book showing that it takes a blend of passion and persistence to overcome adversity and achieve great things.

“These girls certainly have grit,” Intagliata said. “It’s not always the most talented athlete that’s going to succeed. What makes a difference is being able push yourself harder to get things done after you’ve been knocked down. These girls get that. They’re doing all that they are being asked to do, and giving everything that have.”

Outside right midfielder Maria Papas has speed to burn and crosses well. Senior Gabriella Riepe, a first-year varsity player, has been a solid contributor. Midfielder Maria D’Amato has been a presence despite playing with an injury. Freshmen twin sisters, Gabby and Olivia Martelli, are a big part of the present and future of the program.

“If we get healthy, I’m confident that the second half of the season will be very different from the first half,” Intagliata said.

Carey welcomes in Friends Academy this Friday at 4:30 p.m.