Lady Cougars win playoff opener

It was anti-climactic, but freshman Krista Trinidad gave Kennedy the go ahead goal for a 1-0 victory over Hicksville. 

A pile of orange and white jerseys fought for the ball just outside Hicksville’s 18-yard box as Danielle Gilman, Trinidad and other Kennedy midfielders chiseled away at the Lady Comets’ defense. Trinidad sent a deep ball across the net late in the second half as spectators and players alike watched the ball slowly cross the goal line. 

The constant pressure on Hicksville’s defense was part of Kennedy’s game plan from the beginning of last Friday’s Nassau Class AA girls’ soccer playoff opener, coach Janine Bizelia said. She told her players that “just constantly pressuring, just squeaking one in,” would give them the lead on Hicksville.

Having fallen to the Comets in the first round of playoffs last year, Bizelia said the Lady Cougars were hungry for a victory but were happy to have made it back to the playoffs as the home team. 

“Having the upper edge this time, having our home field, playing them again, and winning is just an extreme goal for our team,” Bizelia added. 

High winds seemed like the third player on the field as both teams struggled to keep the ball on the ground and under control. Bizelia said that she told her team before the game that it would be a fairly even match up, but constant pressure on Hicksville could make the difference. She also said the Lady Cougars had watched tape on Hicksville in preparation for the playoff game. Bizelia said that she thought her strikers and midfielders could take advantage of Hicksville’s goalie. 

“We told them from the start that the goalie was a little bit weaker than some of the goalies we’ve come across and to just constantly shoot and look for that goal,” Bizelia said. Her philosophy paid off. 

The Lady Cougars, who advanced to face top-seeded and defending county champion Massapequa, kept the ball in Hicksville’s defensive end for most of the first half, but few opportunities materialized. The Lady Comets seemed to shut down senior star Morgan Kitton, who has 16 goals and seven assists on the season for Kennedy. 

Hicksville regrouped at halftime and came out with more aggression. The Lady Comets put pressure on Kennedy’s defense and were able to keep the ball in their own offensive end. Kennedy continued to play a flat-back four defense to try and catch Hicksville offside. Commitment to its offside trap tripped up the Lady Comets, and Kennedy forced play back into Hicksville’s defensive end returning to constant pressure. 

“The constant effort on the field, giving 110 percent, not giving up from the beginning of the game to the end, I think that’s why we came out on top,” Bizelia said.

After Kennedy got the lead, it dropped an extra player back on defense to protect the win.