By Zack Richner
It didn't take long for South Side to show why it is widely regarded as the best girls' soccer program on the Island. Junior Lauren Koppel was the first of South Side's weapons to strike Huntington, scoring off a corner kick only 50 seconds into the game.
Things got a little bumpy for South Side, however, when the Cyclones fell behind 2-1 late in the first half. But with less than a minute to go in the half, Koppel scored again on an indirect kick. It was her second consecutive two-goal game. In the Nassau County finals, Koppel's goals were the difference in South Side's 2-0 victory over Garden City.
She's been playing great, said second-year coach Judi Croutier of Koppel. It's playoff time; they all know it's a whole different ball game ... The girls step up their game. They know they have to play at a different level.
Croutier, who was an assistant coach for five years under coach Bob Bigelow, once played for South Side. She feels that her personal experiences have helped her relate to the team.
Croutier said the key to winning another state championship would be teamwork. If we work well together and keep giving 100 percent, we'll be successful, she said.
Nevertheless, like all great coaches, Croutier believes her team can improve. I'd really like to score more goals, she said.
For many of the girls, this isn't the first trip to Rochester. Junior co-captain Jenna Lucchesi will make her third appearance in the state tournament. Lucchesi, who had an assist in the Long Island championship game, said, We've been working hard for this all year. It was our goal in the beginning of the season.
Senior goalkeeper and co-captain Christine Conway once again played a terrific game in net against Huntington. She had seven saves on the day and was ecstatic after the win. It's unbelievably awesome, she kept repeating amid screams of, We're going to states!
The charismatic Conway missed the majority of the year with a broken leg, yet returned to show why she has been South Side's starting goalie for three straight years. Upon her return, South Side upped its level of play, and its record so far this season is 13 wins, two losses and three ties.
Conway's overall record is 61-1-2. The only loss she has suffered in her career as a Cyclone was last year's heart-breaking loss in the state finals.
Croutier had nothing but praise for her goalie. She's an anchor and a great leader, she said. She keeps everybody focused ... Her personality as well as her play on the field Ñ she leads by example.
In the Long Island championship game, South Side added two more goals in the second half. Sophomore Molly Dreska scored the first a mere 29 seconds after play resumed. Junior Emily Means added the last goal of the game. Dreska and Means each had an assist as well.
With so many talented players, it's no wonder that the girls already had their schedules cleared for this coming weekend.
