Parlato's two goals lift Center Moriches
Center Moriches' Alexis Parlato moves the ball past Mattituck's Maryanne Fitzgerald and into the zone. (Nov. 7, 2011) Credit: George A. Faella
Goalkeeper Kelsey Glanzman and defenders Brianna Mascia and Takia Plummer are each a brick in the wall for Center Moriches. Their teammate, Alexis Parlato, is the one who breaks the opponent's wall down.
The wall that is the Center Moriches defense has recorded 15 shutouts in 16 games, allowing just one goal all season. Parlato scored double that yesterday alone as her two goals helped No. 1 Center Moriches win a third straight Class B soccer county championship with a 2-0 win over No. 2 Mattituck at Diamond in the Pines.
After Alexandria Krauss sent a pass down the middle of the field, Parlato won a footrace and fired a shot from the top of the box over the keeper's head with 28:26 remaining in the game.
Pam Schenck later sent a through ball down the left wing to Parlato, who shot to the far post and into the side netting to seal the win with 7:28 left. For Parlato, the goals served as redemption for a penalty kick she missed in the first half.
"I was pretty down on myself but my team had my back and they said I had to step it up because this could be my last game," she said. "They were like, 'Is this what you want to remember yourself as?' And I was like, 'No, I need to do something."
Mattituck (9-7-1) threatened to tie the game midway through the second half. Lauren Guja sent in a perfect ball on a corner kick, but Glanzman made one of her six saves. Two minutes later, Liz Lasota eluded a defender and got off a shot that was deflected then trapped by Glanzman.
"A lot of teams don't get the chance to do this," Glanzman said. "Three times. It feels amazing every time."
Center Moriches (11-1-4) advances to play the winner of Carle Place and Cold Spring Harbor for the Long Island Championship at 7 p.m. Saturday at Denton Park. With a third straight county title in hand, Parlato and the Red Devils will now look for the Long Island Championship threepeat.
"When I was a sophomore I didn't even know what a county championship was," Parlato said. "Now we've won it three times in a row. It's a big deal for our town."
