Injuries cloud Carey's strong season

A cloud was cast over a special season for Carey girls’ soccer a few weeks ago when the team lost senior standout Erica Sousa to a knee injury and talented eighth-grader Brett Robison to an ankle injury in a 2-2 tie with Conference AA-III-leading Great Neck South.

Sousa, bound for Rutgers University, suffered a partially torn ACL eight minutes into the game and will undergo surgery next week. The All-County midfielder had six goals in six games. “She made a quick turn and her knee gave out,” Carey coach Lola Intagliata said. “It doesn’t sound like a full tear, but it’s still a tear. It’s a tough break, but knowing Erica she’s going to come back stronger than ever. She’s one of the best players to ever come through our program.”

Robison, who provided an offensive spark for the Lady Seahawks (7-1-2 in conference play) with four goals and two assists, has a hairline fracture and isn’t expected back this fall. Also likely done with a knee injury is junior midfielder Alexa Lorenzo, who had four goals and five assists.

Lorenzo had a goal and an assist in the tie with Great Neck South, which stands at 8-0-1 and has the inside track to the conference title and its lone playoff spot. She assisted on eighth-grade forward Allison Bustamante’s game-tying header in the second half after converting a pass from junior defender Nancy Luca in the first half.

“We used Erica on free kicks and Alexa on corners, so we’ll have a different look on set plays for the last couple of games,” said Intagliata, who plans to use freshman midfielder Kelly Flanagan (four goals) as the new trigger foot.

Carey bounced back from the injuries to roll past Hempstead and Uniondale in convincing shutout victories. The defense, as it has all season, limited the number of shots that got through to junior goalkeeper Kelsey Barnes (six shutouts.) Luca, fellow junior Stephanie Rodriguez, freshman Francesca Cozza and eighth-grader Makenzie Nyitray log the majority of time in the back.“Our defense has been solid,” Intagliata said.