Calhoun falls in final to MacArthur

Calhoun Colts goalie Alissa Battaglia saved 19 shots on goal in the Class AA final Wednesday night, but the MacArthur Generals found the back of the net three times in their shutout victory. The 3-0 loss ended the Colts’ undefeated season, but coach Lori Biscardi said she was proud of how far her team came — knocking off top-seeded Farmingdale en route to the championship and boasting the second-leading scorer in the county –– Kristina Gandolfo, who netted 21 goals this fall.

“We’ve had an unbelievable season, our best season yet,” Biscardi said following the game. “They gave everything they got. MacArthur is an incredible team.”

In the game’s first minutes, Macarthur took control of the ball. The Colts battled for control in midfield but weren’t able to catch a break as the Generals maintained play in their own offensive third. After a takedown in the box eight minutes into the game, MacArthur was awarded a penalty kick. unior Jenny Scro stepped to the line and calmly sent a ball behind Battaglia for the 1-0 lead.

Calhoun launched an aggressive attack, with Gandolfo trying to find her way behind the Generals’ defense. Kayla Cappuzzo drove down the side of the field to send a cross to Michelle Iacono that eventually landed at Gandolfo’s feet. MacArthur quickly surrounded Gandolfo, taking away her angle on goal, forcing her shot wide. The Colts continued to try to shift their play to the outside in search of space down the field but were never able to, as the first half ended 1-0.

When the second half got under way, both teams continued to battle for possession. MacArthur entered the game anticipating the need to shut down Calhoun’s speed and finesse, Generals coach Lauren Gotta said. “Our goal is to always win the 50-50 and transition together forward and backward and just attack in numbers,” she said. “We just said they’re very fast, and in order for you to stop their speed, you have to win the ball, and if you win the ball, they’re not going to get a chance to use their speed.”