Girls Soccer: Lady Aviators Make It Back-to-Back Wins

Hasbrouck Heights culminated the first Rosa Holowen Cancer Classic on Saturday with a 2-1 victory over Elmwood Park as part of a big day of soccer for a good cause.

The Classic was a benefit for Tomorrow's Children Fund and the Rosa Fund which is named for former Hasbrouck Heights soccer player Rosa Holowen who succumbed to cancer in the summer of 2010. There were four games with the Aviators capping off the day under the lights at Depken Field.

Hasbrouck Heights got goals from sophomore forward Maggie Filja and junior midfielder Theresa Ayala in the first half and withstood a little bit of a threat in the second half to defeat the Lady Crusaders, 2-1.

"They did a great job and have been working since 10 a.m. this morning," said Hasbrouck Heights head coach Joe Mastropietro about his team volunteering to help run the Holowen Day. He added that his team might have been a little wiped because they also played Friday. "It's always tough to play back to back."

The victory Saturday made it back-to-back wins to open the 2011 season. On Friday the Lady Aviators (2-0) defeated Saddle Brook, 2-0, on the road in a battle of the two teams that tied for the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference Meadowlands B division championship last season.

Against Elmwood Park Ayala scored the eventual game-winner when she was fed by senior Jodee Giarratana for the goal. Ayala made it 2-0 with 3:30 remaining in the first half.

While Elmwood Park was able to keep the ball about 50 percent of the time in Heights territory in the first half, the Lady Aviators had the best opportunities.

In the second half Hasbrouck Heights put on the pressure and kept the ball in the Lady Crusaders area for most of the 40 minutes.  "I told them to keep moving the ball forward and let’s get some goals and put it away," said Mastropietro about his halftime talk.

The Lady Aviators though could not finish off as the likes of Ayala, Filja and senior midfielder Jenny White missed scoring opportunities.

But Elmwood Park finished off one of their few opportunities in the second half as sophomore Nicole Gomez tore through the Heights defense and fed Milana Gilaga who put a shot by Heights goal keeper Julie Sheridan.

Despite giving up the goal, Sheridan has been solid in goals in the first two games although she was not challenged that much against the Lady Crusaders and only had to make five saves. The senior keeper made six saves against Saddle Brook to preserve that victory.

But in the second half against the Crusaders, the Aviators would keep the ball in the Elmwood Park end and just missed a couple of golden chances to put away the Crusaders.

Coming into the Elmwood Park game, the combination of junior midfielder Danielle Cannici and Filja led the way against Saddle Brook as they connected on both Heights goals.

"We wanted that game so bad," said Filja. "We were BBMing (Blackberry Messenging) back and forth and getting everybody pumped up."

Heights heads back to the NJIC Meadowlands B division with contests at Weehawken on Monday and host Immaculate Conception on Wednesday, both at 4 p.m.

Hasbrouck Heights 2011 girls soccer schedule
(Games at 4 p.m. at high school)

Sept. 9        at Saddle Brook
Sept. 10    Rosa Fund Charity Event, Noon
Sept. 12    at Weehawken
Sept. 14    Immaculate Conception
Sept. 20    St. Mary
Sept. 22    Lyndhurst, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26    at Secaucus
Sept. 28    North Arlington
Oct. 4        at Queen of Peace
Oct. 6        Becton
Oct. 10        at Harrison
Oct. 12        Saddle Brook
Oct. 13        Weehawken, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17        at Belleville
Oct. 18        at Immaculate Conception
Oct. 24        at St. Mary
Oct. 26        Eastern Christian
Oct. 28        Park Ridge