GC Girls Are Going to the Finals

In a game that saw the weather change a few times, and not for the better, the Lady Trojans kept their faith in their teammates and were able to come away with a hard fought victory over Wantagh in their Nassau Semi-final match. The game went the full 80 minutes of regulation, two 10 minute overtimes, two five minute sudden death overtimes and finally six penalty shots before the match was decided with a diving save by Caroline Peppard after Kerri DeFliese buried her PK to put the Trojans into the Nassau Championship against rival South Side. The Championship Game will be played at Mitchell Field on Tuesday at 4:30.

As happens many times in soccer the Garden City girls had a decided advantage in time of possession, as well as good scoring chances, but they were down 1-0 at the halftime whistle as Wantagh found the back of the net with only 10 seconds left in the half. The goal by Amanda Profera came as a result of a mix-up in the box on a well placed direct kick by Tori Flaherty.

But GC did not hang their heads during the halftime break but rather rallied around each other and came into the second half fired up. After several good chances and continuing to control the match, the Trojans Kristen Adams hustled to a ball that appeared to be headed over the goal line. After controlling it she played it back to midfielder Sam Meissmer who sent a beautiful cross into the goal area that Julia McGuire was able to run on to and deliver a one touch shot past a stunned Wantagh keeper. The game was tied 1-1 14 minutes into the second half.

The rest of regulation, as well as the 30 minutes of overtimes, were played like a heavyweight boxing match - with both teams battling for the knockout punch that never came.

And so it was on to PK’s and heartbreak for one team and elation for another - or as ABC’s Wide World of Sports captured it, The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat! After four shooters Wantagh had the advantage at 3-2 and things were looking bleak for Garden City. But Isabel Klatt didn’t let it end on her shot and she tied the score. The fifth Wantagh player stepped to the spot with a chance to win the game but had her shot hit the post and GC was still alive!

After the first five shooters are done the match becomes a one v one until a team is victorious. And that’s where Defliese and Peppard got the job done and put GC into the Finals. As Peppard made the final diving save the GC girls rushed to mob her and the crowd erupted. Coach Mike Heedles will look to get his girls focused on Tuesday’s match against South Side - a team that they have split their first two games with this season, just like in last years run to States.