Grace Justiniano to Mia Pirozzi lifts Ward Melville in OT

CORTLAND, N.Y. – It was just one of those games.

One of those games with two incredibly evenly-matched teams. Someone has to win, someone has to lose and it won’t always be a perfectly executed piece that decides the outcome. As the rain continued to come down on the Tompkins Cortland Community College turf Saturday evening in a girls soccer state Class AA semifinal, the ball became slicker and slicker.

Ward Melville found itself on the right side of a bouncing ball when Mia Pirozzi finished a cross from Grace Justiniano with 5:10 left in the first overtime period for the game’s lone goal as Ward Melville defeated Monroe-Woodbury, 1-0, to advance to the girls soccer state Class AA final.

“It was just a back-and-forth game,” coach John Diehl said. “One of those games where you just know it’s going to end some weird play, a lucky break, a touch here and that’s what happened. That’s soccer.”

Ward Melville (16-0-3) advances to play the winner of Clarence/Shaker in the state Class AA final at Tompkins Cortland Community College Sunday at 1:15 p.m. Monroe-Woodbury finishes 18-3-1.

Justiniano knew she wasn’t going to have much time to get a touch on her game-changing cross. She sent the ball toward the middle of the field, which was contested by the charging Monroe-Woodbury goalkeeper. But Pirozzi corralled the loose ball and scored from 10 yards out to send Ward Melville to the final.

“I knew I didn’t want to give up on my team and I had to push hard,” Justiniano said. “Even though there were a lot of good girls up top, I just had to give it my all no matter what.”

“I was very confident if I just used my speed, I’d get there,” Pirozzi said. “I pushed and shoved in there and I knew if I got my foot in the ball it was going in. It was just a dream.”

Emma Ward, Gabrielle Walker and a pair of sisters in Grace and Gabrielle Justiniano played tough in the backline to limit Monroe-Woodbury’s chances with Elyse Munoz making five saves. The midfield controlled the pace to create opportunities as well.

But Ward Melville isn’t satisfied yet. The Patriots play in their first state final in program history Sunday.

“Being here is just amazing and we have one more step,” Pirozzi said. “One further step and if we get that win and get that ring, it’s going to be history.”

Despite an undefeated record, Ward Melville has played in its share of close contests against elite competition. That experience proved pivotal Saturday.

“We’ve been into overtime, we’ve been in [penalty kick] situations, we just knew we had to stay composed and stay together and we were going to come out with a victory,” Pirozzi said. “We’re definitely used to the pressure.”

Ward Melville went into penalty kicks against Smithtown West in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals, defeated Commack by one goal in the county final and knocked off defending state champion Massapequa in the Long Island championship.

“I was just impressed how they didn’t stop working after so many minutes,” Diehl said. “It’s just impressive to watch these girls. I love it, it’s been a great ride. I hope we can be successful tomorrow.”