Although the girls could almost taste victory, they had never played against the Islip team. With a mix of excitement and nerves in the air, the Cyclones found it difficult to get on the board early on. "You can't take any game lightly," Coach Judi Croutier said. "It's a big game, and anything can happen."
Through the first half of the game, South Side proved just how important it is not only to score, but to solidly defend its goal. "We tried to posses the ball," said Croutier. With 17 minutes left in the first half, junior Allison Siegel scored the first goal for the Cyclones, making the score 1-0.
With the lead came the chance that Islip would come back with a vengeance, so it was important for South Side to maintain its strong defense. Sophomore Katie Norwood kept the ball from becoming Islip's with 13 minutes left on the clock, proving that a strong defense is the backbone of a strong team.
"The four sophomores have definitely picked up their game and played good defense," said Croutier.
Although there were opportunities for the Cyclones to score, Islip's goalie did a good job of making it difficult for them to post another goal. Junior Stephanie Blair and senior Molly Dreska both tried to score at around the 10-minute mark, but were answered with a series of exceptional blocks.
As the second half began, senior Juli Valls took control of the ball inches from South Side's goal. Even with an emphasis on defense, Islip had an opportunity to shoot with about 31 minutes left on the clock. Luckily, junior goalie Jessica Walsh was on top of her game and made the save South Side needed to keep its lead.
With 8 minutes left to play, it looked like the Cyclones had the game in the bag. But with 7:57 left, Islip scored, tying it at 1-1.
"There was definitely anxiety," Croutier said.
Regulation ended in a tie, and the game went into overtime -- two 10-minute rounds. Even though South Side knew how hard it would be to score again, they continued to play with as much heart as ever. "Luckily, my girls didn't give up," said Croutier. "They stepped up their game."
With 49 seconds left in the first overtime, the Cyclones showed just how much heart they had when senior Melissa Gimpel scored, giving South Side the 2-1 lead it needed. "The seniors were definitely a major factor in this game," Croutier said. "They didn't want to lose."
With 8:37 left in the second overtime, Dreska scored the third goal for the Cyclones, making it clear just how important a win was for the seniors. Perhaps it was the energy of the crowd, or the Cyclones' desire to win that fueled their inspired play in the second overtime, but just seconds later, at the 8:09 mark, Siegel scored her second goal of the game and the fourth for the team. Then, with 5:28 left, Dreska scored again, capping a rare four-goal overtime rally for South Side.
Croutier was ecstatic at "the way [the girls] came back and played in overtime, with Gimpel leading the way," she said.
The 5-1 win gave South Side not only the Long Island title, but a chance for the girls to win the state title. "The ultimate goal is to win state," said Croutier.
The Cyclones shook hands with Islip, which ended its season 16-1. "They were a good team, they played hard, they tied the game, they came back and they didn't give up," said Croutier.
The Cyclones, who travel to Binghamton for the state tournament, will play in the semifinals this Friday and, if they win, the finals on Saturday. The girls are excited not only about the games, but also about the overnight road trip. But until then, the team will continue to work on finishing, shooting and defense. "You can always get better," said Croutier.
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