Tyla Vuotto tallies goal, assist to lead Lynbrook in first round of Nassau 'A' playoffs

Tyla Vuotto has been a dynamic player for the Lynbrook girls soccer team all fall. So, it was no surprise that in the most important game of the season, she was at the center of nearly every key play.

Vuotto had a goal and an assist as No. 15 Lynbrook defeated No. 18 Mineola, 3-0, in the first round of the Nassau Class A playoffs at Lynbrook’s Marion Street Elementary School Monday afternoon.

Lynbrook (10-2-2) advances to play at No. 2 Garden City (10-2-2) in the second round Wednesday at 2 p.m. Mineola ended the season 4-8-1.

“She’s a four-year player who gets better every year,” coach Michael Palumbo said. “She’s a spectacular player and she’s going to leave a huge hole for us next year. She’s such a hard-working player, every game she leads us. She doesn’t mess around and the girls know what to expect.”

Vuotto scored the game’s second goal, finishing a through ball from Gabriella Meszaros with 5:19 left in the second half.

“I heard her calling and I knew once I sent that ball that she was going to get it,” Meszaros said. “She’s a person I can trust on the field so when I sent it, I knew it was going in.”

“I trusted Gabby with the ball and I knew she would send it on through and once she did, I knew I had to take that shot,” said Vuotto, who has 23 goals this season. “One-to-nothing is a really scary score to have, and I think putting in that second goal really helped us be more confident instead of panicking with a 1-0 score.”

Meszaros scored the opening goal when she finished a corner kick from Kailey Dunne at the back post just over six minutes into the contest.

“I saw [the ball] going and I saw one of my teammates miss it and I knew it was my chance to get it in,” Meszaros said. “The other team put up a good fight at the back post, but I tucked it in.”

Kaelynn O’Brien scored the final goal off an assist from Vuotto with 2.8 seconds left in the game.

The Lynbrook back line, including Sara Cilinger, Mikayla D’Ambrosio, Payton Stalter and Francesca Palumbo, had a strong game to limit Mineola’s chances. Katie Sharkey made seven saves in the shutout.

Despite the convincing win, Lynbrook is aware of its daunting task awaiting in Garden City — one of the top programs on Long Island the last few years.

“We knew we’d have a chance to get to the second round and hopefully be an underdog that can upset somebody,” Palumbo said. “We’re not going to Garden City and ending it there. We are going there ready to win and hopefully to battle and move on after that to Saturday’s games.”