Carly Schuler's goal gives Massapequa girls soccer its third straight Nassau title
Carly Schuler of Massapequa is all smiles as she hugs keeper Domenica Rasi after they won the Nassau Class AAA girls soccer final against Syosset on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 in Cold Spring Harbor. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Dominance might not be the best word to describe the Massapequa girls soccer program, but dynasty could be.
No. 1 Massapequa secured its third straight county title and its 18th in the last 21 years with a 2-1 win over No. 2 Syosset in the girls soccer Nassau Class AAA final at Cold Spring Harbor High School on Tuesday night.
Sophomore Carly Schuler scored the eventual game-winner with a goal off a corner kick and Briana Neary’s assist with 6:18 left in the first half.
“This is a special sport in this town,” said Bruce Stegner, in his 21st season coaching Massapequa. “We have a lot of tradition and expectation, and they rise to the occasion every time and they want to be champions.”
Massapequa (14-0-4) will play Suffolk Class AAA champion Ward Melville in the Long Island Championship, a rematch of last year’s AA title that Ward Melville won 3-1, on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Shoreham-Wading River High School. Syosset finished its season 8-5-3.
“I’m overjoyed because if my season ended here without ending on a championship, I wouldn’t know how to feel,” said Neary, a senior and a Siena commit.
Senior Michela Napolitano put Massapequa on the board first with 35:38 left in the first half. Syosset goalie Carly Greenbaum saved Olivia Trojanowski’s initial long shot from outside the box, but Napolitano was at the goal line to settle the rebound and punch it through.
In a wide-open start, Syosset forward Alexa Baek tapped in a goal off a pass from Jess Alessi to tie the score at 1 with 32:16 left in the first half.
No goals were scored in a second half featuring fewer opportunities.
Massapequa looks for its eighth Long Island championship since 2013 and ninth state title in program history.
“We’re like a family,” Neary said. “We’re so close, we’re always together, and I definitely think that helps our team chemistry.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
