Alexa Ayotte nets winner as Port Jefferson gains final
Port Jefferson midfielder Alexa Ayotte, middle, celebrates her game-winning goal against Mattituck/Greenport/Southold with her teammates in a Suffolk Division II girls lacrosse semifinal playoff game Monday. Credit: George A Faella
Alexa Ayotte couldn't have picked a better time to score her first goal of the game.
The junior midfielder broke a tie at 13 with 30 seconds left to give No. 3 Port Jefferson a thrilling 14-13 win over No. 2 Mattituck/Southold/Greenport, on Monday in a girls lacrosse Suffolk Class D semifinal at Southold High School.
“I mean, I think that’s the best goal you could ask for,” Ayotte said. “The game-winner.”
Ayotte took a pass from Kyle Johnston a few feet from the cage, made a move and fired over a defender for the winning goal. She then won the ensuing draw control as Port Jefferson held on for the victory.
Alexa Ayotte scored the winning goal off an assist from Kyle Johnston to give Port Jefferson a 14-13 victory over Mattituck/Southold/Greenport in the girls lacrosse Suffolk Class D semifinals pic.twitter.com/Bnj1XZvOUo
— Owen O'Brien (@owenobri) May 16, 2022
“It was awesome,” Ayotte said. “Instantly, I knew even though there were 30 seconds left, I knew we were going to win the draw and we were the winner of this game. I knew we’d be making it to Saturday.”
Port Jefferson (8-8) advances to play No. 1 Center Moriches (10-6) in the Suffolk Class D final at Center Moriches High School Saturday at 2 p.m.
Mattituck/Southold/Greenport (7-8) stormed back from a 13-10 deficit with goals from Ella Suglia, Sage Foster and Gianna Calise over three minutes to tie the score at 13 with 2:24 remaining. Port Jefferson called timeout after Calise’s tying goal.
“I called that timeout and I just wanted my girls to stay composed and not get in their heads too much,” coach Natalie Badolato said. “The game’s not over until the last whistle, especially in big games like this.”
“It was a little bit scary,” said Camryn Spiller, who scored six goals. “But we kept our composure and got it done.”
Johnston, who had five goals and four assists, found Ayotte two minutes later.
“Me and the girls, we have a sort of telepathy,” Johnston said. “I look at them and I know they can do it.”
Foster had six goals for Mattituck/Southold/Greenport.
Port Jefferson has been aiming for a return to the Suffolk Class D championship after falling to Center Moriches, 8-7, in overtime of last year’s final.
“Last year didn’t end the way we wanted to but this year, I’m pretty sure we are going to come out on top,” Ayotte said. “I don’t think that any team in our division is better than us and I know we have the grit that it takes to win the championship.”
“Center Moriches is definitely a great school,” Spiller said. “But I feel like we can beat them this year.”
