Julia DiMaria scored three goals and Bryce Kristall added a fourth as Hills West stayed undefeated after beating Copiague at home.
Score: Half Hollow Hills West 4, Copiague 0
Records: Hills West 6-0 (4-0 in Suffolk League III); Copiague 1-6 (0-5 in Suffolk League III)
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Heroes: With her hat trick, Julia DiMaria took over from Marisa Rosen as the team's leading goal scorer. The first goal was set up by a crossing pass from Sarah Matzelle to Rosen, who was right in front of the Copiague net. Seeing that she would not beat both the defender and goalie, Rosen kicked it out to DiMaria, who curled her shot into the left side of the net to give the Colts a 1-0 lead with 26:09 left in the first half.
With 10:38 to go in the first half, DiMaria took aim at the right side of the net off a centering pass from Rosen to put Hills West ahead 2-0. DiMaria scored her third goal four minutes into the second half on a free kick from 35 yards out.
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The Turning Point: With bad weather looming and the wind gusting, the Colts had an immediate advantage playing with the winds at their backs to start the game. Hills West coach Keith Ginsberg stressed that point shortly before game time. The wind knocked down several Copiague efforts to clear the ball, and having to run into the wind diminished the Eagles' energy.
With the winds at their back, the Colts kept the Eagles out of their defensive zone, almost completely. At the end of the first half, the Colts had 22 scoring opportunities to none for Copiague.
The Quote: "They're very unselfish with each other," Ginsberg said of Rosen and DiMaria. That is how they have accounted for 11 of the Colts' 15 goals through six games.
If one's open, the other will make sure to pass the ball. That is how Rosen collected both assists. Rosen now has a team-leading five assists on the season to go with her give goals.
The Bottom Line: Ginsberg said his team may not have been fully prepared for the game, given that the Colts expected the game would be cancelled after seeing Wednesday night's weather reports. Having to psyche themselves up for the game after finding out it would be played after all, combined with winds gusting to 30 miles per hour, kept them from being at their sharpest.
The Colts did not play their best, Ginsberg said, "but a win's a win."
Who's next: The Colts host Comsewogue at 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 4.
Box Score:
Hills West 2 2 4
Copiague 0 0 0