Oceanside ready for playoffs

The Oceanside girls’ soccer team could be a tough out in the Nassau Class AA playoffs thanks to a strong finish to the regular season and having its top players get hot at just the right time.
The Sailors won three of their last four games and four of six to finish the AA-1 campaign, culminating with a 5-1 win at Plainview last Friday night. Oceanside exploded for a season-high four first-half goals and never looked back to finish with a 6-6 mark in conference play.
The stretch followed back-to-back shutout losses about a month ago and the team went 2-1 on the three-game road trip that closed the season.
“They’re putting it together real nicely,” coach Marianna Winchester said. “I wish they would play their first half the way they stepped up the second half.”
Against Plainview, Gianna Fucile converted an early penalty shot before assisting on Leigh Zaman’s first of two goals that doubled the lead with 8:38 left in the first half. The pair then helped set up Lindsay Chetkof’s second tally of the season before sophomore Daniella Cairo notched her first career varsity goal to cap the onslaught.

Oceanside’s first-round playoff opponent had yet to be decided at press time, but the most likely candidates are Port Washington, Farmingdale and Plainview. The Sailors swept the season series from Port with a pair of two-goal victories but split their two meetings with the Dalers and Hawks.
“Whether it’s Farmingdale, Plainview, or whoever it may be, we’re the underdogs because everybody coming in is saying, ‘They’re beatable,’” Winchester said. “It’s anybody’s game.”
Fucile had a strong finish to her senior season with four goals and seven points during her season-ending six-game point streak. She led the team in all offensive categories (5-8-13).
Winchester credits her for stepping up in the absence of senior midfielder Megan Checola, who suffered a knee injury against Herricks on Oct. 6.
“She felt like she had to take command of everything, like she’s in charge and we’re not going to let Megan down,” Winchester said.  
Checola is practicing, but questionable for the playoff opener, according to Winchester.
Sophomore Samantha Gemmo continued to flash her potential by collecting three goals and two assists during that same span. She scored in three straight matches from Sept. 29-Oct. 8, including the game’s only tally that lifted Oceanside to the 1-0 win over Herricks.
“She’s stepped up as far as being up top and being a goal scorer for me,” Winchester said.
Zaman returned to the lineup after missing almost a month with a quad injury and gave the offense an immediate boost with two two-goal games in the last three contests to tie Fucile’s season total.
Sophomore goalkeeper Juliann Ewashko has not shown any ill-effects from an early-season foot injury and averaged over seven saves a game during the Sailors’ surge. She has also been buoyed by the solid defensive play of Olivia Deserio, Savannah Castorio, Fucile, and Cairo. 
Winchester said speedy outside midfielder Vanessa Frangiadakis has also been strong on 50-50-battles and ball distribution.