Postgame: Massapequa vs. Oceanside
Oceanside High School's Danielle Rossi, left, leaps for a header over teammate Melissa Horan and Massapequa's Alyssa Iannuzzi in the first half. (Oct. 24, 2011) Credit: James Escher
A week and a half ago, Amanda Garrity, Alyssa Iannuzzi and Olivia Stegner were preparing to finish out their junior varsity season. Now they will be playing valuable minutes for the defending state champions in the postseason. Massapequa is a team unaccustomed to late-season call-ups, but in a season in which it hasn’t been its dominant self, the rookies are hoping to provide a spark to help the team return to form.
Oceanside finishes the regular season at 6-6-2. After struggling to generate quality shots in the first half, Oceanside made some position changes in the second half and came out firing. The more aggressive attack generated better shot opportunities for Danielle Rossi and Melissa Horan and it’s an approach the Sailors should consider utilizing in the postseason. Keeper Emily Doherty, a vocal leader on the field, kept the game close with 11 saves.
The Chiefs are a strong possession style team with a formidable tandem on the attack in Rosie DiMartino and Erica Modena, strong play in the midfield with Taylor Kugler and Tori Maley and a keeper with a state title on her resume in Emmalee Meyer. Add that to their postseason experience and the recent infusion of youth and it combines to form a dangerous team that I wouldn’t want to face in the playoffs.
More postgame reaction from Monday’s win over Oceanside:
