Garden City tops Sayville for LI A title
Garden City's Srey Powers (22) wins the header over Sayville's Madison Hoon (10). Garden City defeated Sayville in a shootout 4-1. (Nov. 13, 2010) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
There wasn't a cloud visible when Garden City's Christina Mangels looked up to the dark sky above to watch the ball sail over the crossbar, but there certainly was a cloud involved.
"Cloud Nine," the junior keeper said when asked how she felt when she saw Sayville's final penalty kick overshoot the net as Garden City won the Class A Long Island girls soccer championship at Dowling Athletic Complex Saturday. After playing to a tie at 1, Garden City advanced on penalty kicks, 3-0. "Words can't describe this feeling. We haven't won since '96 and it's amazing, I can't even describe it."
With the score still tied after two 10-minute overtimes and two five-minute sudden-death periods, the first to approach the ball for penalty kicks was Christina Cesarini, who fired into the left corner of the net.
"I've never felt like this in my entire life," Cesarini said. "Nothing compares."
After a Sayville miss, Liz Mahoney scored in similar fashion.
"We weren't going to let us lose," Mahoney said. "I knew we had it the whole time but it was really scary at times."
After a diving stop by Mangels, Amanda Murolo put a chip shot into the back of the net.
"I was really nervous," Murolo said, "but I did it for my team, everyone, my family."
With Sayville (16-2) needing a goal to stay alive, their third penalty kick went over the net.
Barbara Sullivan opened the scoring with 2:00 remaining in the half after beating two defenders and sneaking the ball between the near post and keeper Olivia Coley-Bishop, who had 12 saves, to give Garden City a 1-0 lead. The lead, however, was short-lived as Garden City (18-2-2) knocked the ball into its own goal 39 seconds later. That, however, would be the only ball that would get behind Mangels, who had nine saves.
"They worked so hard for it, so I'm very excited for them," Garden City coach Mike Heedles said. "We've been practicing PKs for the past three weeks just to be ready for this situation. We just told the girls, positive energy, just go up there and keep going with what you've been going with. It worked out for us."
