Somers Plays its Cards Right in 2-1 Victory Over Greeley

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On Friday September 5, Somers and Greeley were knee deep in a defensive struggle at the high school. A 1-1 game with eight minutes to play, Somers lined up for a penalty shot, and at this point in the season, Coach Brian Lanzetta paused on a strategy. “It’s early to show your cards,” he said. But a league game, versus a AA team, the moment got the better of him.

”We’re not going for the tie. We’re going for the win,” the first year coach decided, and a masterly executed play put Lindsay Ulaj on the foot end of the go ahead and winning goal.

The game didn’t start like it would have the defenses in charge, though. “Marley (Hawkins) kicked a long ball to me, and I ran right through the defender,” said Lily Mazzella. “I kicked it (at the goalie). It bounced right back to me, and I knocked it in.”

Good for a 1-0 lead at 38:07, the game went on lockdown from there, and the first big bang came from a headstrong Ashley Kuchinsky. With Greeley coming out of their own zone, a middie strike was on target down the field and looked like trouble. Instead, the Tusker defender got her head in between, and the play died with a thud at 33 minutes.

Ulaj was next up. With a Quaker attacker ahead and entering the box, the Tusker swarmed the intruder and gave possession back to the home team.

Of course, Greeley kept coming but the Tuskers put their feet down. Caitlin Fitts high kicked to intercept a shot from the far sideline, and from the other side, Natalie D’Ippolito put the stops on a center pass.

In control at 22 minutes, the sophomore cleared, and the Greeley defense took their turn. After Angie Giron led Alessia Matteo with a step, the Quaker defense converged and the promising advance was quickly broken at 19:05.

In between the 20s, the game continued until Isabella Wissa and Alessia Matteo got a little room to dance. First, Mazzella got the ball on the near sideline and her pass to Wissa allowed the duo to play some give and go.

The crowd enjoying the ping pong, when the ball came back to Wissa, a clear path to the goal emerged. She scooted a low ball. but the Greeley goalie gobbled up the grounder at 16:38.

Somers got even closer at the ten minute mark. Following an easy save by the Greeley goalie, the defense nonchalantly moved the ball upfield and almost paid for their lack of focus. Ulaj stepped in with a steal, she passed ahead to Matteo, and with only the goalie in her way, the crossbar kept it a 1-0 lead at 10:15.

The girls kept playing defense nonetheless. On a high bouncer into the Somers zone, the Greeley attacker had a little space upon control but not for long. Kuchinsky got her foot on the ball, and the shot rolled easily to Olivia Tatela with five minutes to go

Three minutes later, the Quaker goalie got herself an easy save too but not for a lack of trying by Ulaj. On the rush, she put on a couple moves and got a rise out of the Somers crowd. Unfortunately, there was still too much defense in the way to get off a good shot.

Onto the second, the teams continued the stalemate until the Somers defense looked like it was going to break. With Greeley penetrating into the box, Kuchinsky’s foot on the ball sent several players to the ground, which left a free shot right in front of Tatela. One on one, the Somers goalie got a hand on the ball, and Ava Kovalyk kicked the rebound clear at 32:30.

Four minutes later, Greeley was back on the goal line. Attacking deep, a shot was available right in front of Tatela, but D’Ippolito came flying in with a slide tackle.

Greeley’s goalie countered by winning the race to a pair of long balls and then her offense responded. After keeping possession in the Somers end, the Quaker wing hooked her ball from the near sideline to the right of Tatela. There, a waiting Greeley head connected for a 1-1 game.

In at 20:20, Lanzetta still had praise for his defense. “In my eyes, that was their only good chance,” he said. “Liv made some great plays coming out, while (Caitlin) Fitts, D’Ippolito, Marley Hawkins, Kuchinsky and Ava (Kovalyk) are unbelievable. They are a young core and have really pushed our seniors on attack.”

And just like that, the words proved true. On a long bouncing pass into the Greeley zone, Mazzella refused to be muscled and forced a penalty kick at 8:25.

On the left, the set play featured three potential kickers in Mazzella, Ulaj and Marley Hawkins. Mazzella took the ball, Ulaj and Hawkins bolted for the goal, and as Hanford slid over from the right to receive, she immediately punched the ball for the breakers

The goalie beat, Ulaj got there first to complete the play and then gave credit where do. “Our great Coach Brian drew up that play,” she boasted.

So two wins to start the season, the Tuskers aim to offer more than words to mark their coach’s first season. “We just want to make it special for him,” concluded Ulaj.

Photos v Somers

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