Cold Spring Harbor falls on penalty kicks
Cold Spring Harbor's #22 Teressa Fazio looks to grab the inbound throw. (Nov. 19, 2011) Credit: Gregg Ordon
CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Before leading the Cold Spring Harbor girls soccer team off the field for the final time, senior captain Chase Burke had one final message for her teammates: "Thanks."
After 110 minutes of scoreless soccer and a heartbreaking 4-2 shootout loss to Greece Odyssey in the Class B state semifinals at Homer High School in Cortland Saturday, Burke thanked her teammates for making her senior season a memorable one.
"I love these girls," Burke said. "They have my back on everything and I'll never forget them . . . It's hard right now because the season is over, but I thought we played phenomenal."
Cold Spring Harbor's second shooter, Katie Hudson, fired high and down the middle and fourth shooter Brooke Jenson scored in the upper left corner for the Seahawks but Greece Odyssey converted on their first four attempts, capped by Katie Wilbur's goal to the right side, bringing Cold Spring Harbor's season to an end.
"It's tough but it's nice that we were able to go the whole game without letting any goals up to a good team," junior captain Katherine Rueger said. "I'm glad we made it this far. We worked really hard to get where we are now."
Cold Spring Harbor had a chance to score the golden goal with 30 seconds remaining in the second five-minute sudden-death overtime. Rueger sent a ball down the wing to Burke, who crossed it to Teressa Fazio in the box but keeper Paige Buchholz made a sliding tackle to stop the threat.
Stephanie Mahder, who had nine saves, faced a barrage of shots by Greece Odyssey in the first half but managed to come away unscathed. She also helped clear back-to-back corner kicks by Greece Odyssey with three minutes remaining in sudden death. For the shootout, Mahder gave way to backup keeper Victoria Campbell, who manages penalty kicks in practice. But with the shot placement in the shootout by Greece Odyssey, there was little Campbell could do.
It was a disappointing end to a brilliant postseason run by Cold Spring Harbor, which peaked in the playoffs to capture its fifth straight county championship and defeat two-time defending Long Island champion Center Moriches to advance to the state tournament.
"We are very young and the future looks bright," Cold Spring Harbor coach Steve Cacioppo said. "We lose three seniors who we're definitely going to miss. But we're going to be a force to deal with for years to come."
In addition to Burke, Cold Spring Harbor (8-7-1) also loses fellow captain Kelly Anne Sherlock and Kaitlin Heins. But the team is left in the capable hands of a talented young core, led by freshman Alicia Roy, who said the team will learn from their experience at Cortland.
"This is a heartbreaker," Roy said. "For me and everyone on this team, it's the farthest we've ever come. Just to be here was amazing. It's something to grow on."
