Alexa Sheridan kicks Smithtown West past Lindenhurst into Class AA final
Smithtown West's Alexa Sheridan (5) celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal with less than a minute left in the Suffolk Class AA girls soccer semifinal against Lindenhurst. Credit: Richard T. Slattery
Alexa Sheridan wrote the perfect ending to this West Side story.
With 30 seconds left, Sheridan was planning for overtime.
With 20 seconds left, she was rushing to take a corner kick.
With seven seconds left, she was celebrating her winning goal.
That was after her desperation corner kick found the back of the net, giving host Smithtown West a dramatic 1-0 win over Lindenhurst in the Suffolk Class AA girls soccer semifinals Monday.
The win puts No. 2 Smithtown West, a school commonly referred to by its students as West Side, one win away from its first county championship since the district split into two high schools.
"I looked at the clock, I knew I had limited time," she said. "I had to make sure I put the ball as close to the net as possible. There was so much adrenaline pumping through my body. I put everything I had into that kick."
The ball had crossed the end line with a little more than 20 seconds to go. Once the ref pointed to the flag, players scrambled to get into position for the corner kick. Sheridan took one last look at the clock before serving the ball with 10 seconds left. It landed directly in front of the goal, bounced off the keeper's hands and deflected into the net with seven seconds to go.
"Anything can happen in the last couple of seconds of the game," said freshman forward Alicia D'Aoust, who generated numerous scoring opportunities. "It was like you had a million bricks on your back and once that split second happened, it was a sweet feeling of relief."
Also providing relief throughout the game was goalkeeper Bernadette Savino, who made 11 saves to deny No. 6 Lindenhurst, which applied constant pressure. She made two beautiful diving stops, one on a breakaway by Brianna Doran in the first half, and another on a line drive by Claudia Cagnina midway through the second half.
Smithtown West plays No. 5 West Islip for the county championship Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Dowling.
"Everyone is working their butts off and we want this so badly," Savino said. "I'm so pumped for Wednesday. I can't wait to bring it home."
They're one step closer to doing just that thanks to Sheridan, the Bulls' senior captain, who scored the biggest goal of her four-year career in her final home game.
"That's what fueled me for this game," she said. "This is a perfect way to end my career on this field. We showed West Side pride today."
