Girls Soccer Playoffs - Garden City Falls to MacArthur

The Garden City girls knew coming into the match against top seeded and undefeated MacArthur that they had their work cut out for them. Having seen the Generals twice during the regular season, GC was faced with coming up with a different approach to this third matchup.

Coach Mike Heedles emphasized to the girls that they had to 'leave everything on the field' if they wanted a shot at the finals. And the Trojans came out fired up, attacking the ball all over the field and pressing MacArthur with every touch.

The athleticism and hustle of Garden City paid off midway through the first half as the girls forced a turnover in the midfield and started a counter attack. It was a pair of underclassmen that made the turnover count, with Isabella Vona sending the ball out wide to Emily Romeo about 30 yards from goal. Romeo did the rest, taking on and splitting three MacArthur backs to work the ball into the box. And from about 12 yards out she rifled a shot past the outstretched arms of keeper Lexie Thompson. Garden City had an unlikely but well deserved 1-0 lead that held up to the end of the first half.

The second half continued to play out as a battle of ball control MacArthur against an athletic and determined Garden City squad with neither team having a good scoring chance. As each minute ticked away on the clock the intensity level rose that much more as the home crowd implored the Generals with each attack. Similarly, the large contingent of GC fans that travelled with the team rose to the occasion and cheered on their side.

With about seven minutes remaining in the game, MacArthur got the break they were looking for as Hailey Hnis stopped a GC breakout and sent a high cross into the box and an awaiting Bella Calabro. As Calabro put the ball under keeper Madeleine O'Connor and MacArthur erupted, the sideline ref waved his flag for an off sides call and the goal was waved off.

However, that play seemed to spark the MacArthur girls as they continued their attack and a minute later they were rewarded with a free kick from just inside 30 yards. Madison Hnis stepped up to the ball and fired a perfect free kick just inside the far post, eluding the outstretched hands of O'Connor. Game tied 1-1. With just under 3 minutes left in the game, Garden City had the misfortune of having a player receive a red card after a somewhat innocuous foul call out at midfield, meaning the Trojans would finish out the match with only 10 players.

Nassau County playoffs require two ten minute overtimes to be fully played, so the standard 80 minute match now turned into a 100 minute battle. And Garden City was playing with only 10, a daunting task for any team but made more onerous because of the exertion that they had expended throughout the match.

Although playing a player down, Garden City actually had the better scoring chances in the first 10 minute overtime, with Kelly Brennan sending several free kicks into the box for opportunities. As well as a corner kick from Alivia Gordon that found the head of Sam Meija, but ultimately was turned away.

The second OT session saw MacArthur start to turn up the heat on GC and force more of the play on offense getting free for a couple of good shots that O'Connor turned aside. With a little over 5 minutes remaining a pair of MacArthur midfielders combined along the right sideline. Kaitlyn Tung sent the ball through to Fiona Killan, who sidestepped the Garden City defense and placed a bullet inside the near post and a MacArthur 2-1 lead.

For the next five minutes Garden City continued to press forcing one last chance to send the game to penalty kicks. The opportunity came off the hard work, and ultimate takedown, of Emily Romeo along the left sideline giving the Trojans a free kick from just outside of 30 yards. Senior captain Kelly Brennan fired the ball at the goal, but unlike several others she had scored on throughout the season, this one sailed over the bar and with it the GC hopes of a Nassau County final.

Both teams need to be applauded for their solid play, high intensity level and for producing a rather enjoyable game to watch that started in bright sunshine and ended under a full moon!

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