Mascia unlikely Center Moriches hero
Center Moriches captain Alexis Parlato, right, hugs teammate Brianna Mascia, who scored the only goal of the game as Center Moriches beat Cold Spring Harbor in the Class B Long Island Championship, played at Dowling Athletic Complex. (Nov. 13, 2010) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
It comes as no surprise that a talented team like Center Moriches is headed back to Cortland. It's who sent them there that is.
Sophomore defender Brianna Mascia proved to be the unlikely hero by scoring the first goal of her varsity career in girls soccer as Center Moriches defeated Cold Spring Harbor, 1-0, in the Long Island Class B championship Saturday at the Dowling Athletic Complex.
After the ball trickled out of the box following a corner kick, Mascia pulled up from 25 yards out and dropped a shot just under the crossbar and over the fingertips of keeper Stephanie Mahder with 19:30 remaining in the first half.
"I saw it came out of the [penalty box] on the corner kick and I knew I just had to put it right in," Mascia said. "At first, I couldn't believe it and I was so happy. But then I had to remind myself that the game isn't over and I have to keep playing."
But the game was over, thanks to a dominant Center Moriches defense that made a one-goal lead seem insurmountable. Center Moriches (16-2) kept the ball out of its zone for a majority of the game and defender Tannicia Joseph thwarted a potential tying scoring opportunity created by Cold Spring Harbor (10-4-3) with 14 minutes remaining.
Attie Schubauer sent a perfect through ball across the field to Chase Burke, who eluded a defender to get free. But Joseph made a sliding tackle to knock the ball loose and prevent the shot. On the ensuing corner kick, Kelsey Glanzman corralled the ball for one of her four saves in the shutout.
"We were very defensively sound," Center Moriches coach Lea Brady said. "Our defense made it very difficult for Cold Spring Harbor to get an offensive threat. They did a really nice job, from defense to our attack."
For the second straight season, Center Moriches advances to the state tournament, which begins Friday at Cortland University.
"I wanted to win so badly last year," Mascia said. "Just the fact that we get to go up again and have a second chance is just amazing."
