Samantha Wysokowski poured in four goals in the 8-0 win over the Bloodhounds
For the eighth time in the last nine years, the College of Staten Island women’s soccer team has advanced to the CUNYAC Championship Final, this time getting there by way of a lop-sided, 8-0, win as part of semifinal play at the CSI Soccer Complex earlier this afternoon. The top-seeded Dolphins, the defending champions, upped their record to 12-6 overall, and will face No. 2 City College of New York (14-4) in the Final. The Bloodhounds closed their season at 5-15.
The Dolphins, who defeated the Bloodhounds earlier in the season, 5-0, were in complete control from the get-go, leaving little to doubt by opening up a 6-0 lead at halftime. The scoring started just over one minute in, when Samantha Wysokowski took a Melissa Gelardi leader and fired one in the net at 1:38, CSI’s first shot of the game. CSI then scored on their second shot of the game, this time on a Gabriella Galeano strike from the right side, again off of a sterling lob pass from midfield from Gelardi. Just 2:41 into the game, CSI had a 2-0 lead.
The opening minutes were just a prelude, as CSI scored another four goals over the next 14 minutes. Another sailing ball into the box off of the foot of Gelardi found Demi-Jean Martorano for the third goal at 7:00, and then, at 11:21, Wysokowski tallied her second goal on a give-and-go from the right side from Kyrsta Percaccio. At 12:54, Deanna Kvetkoff entered the scoring column, scooping up a loose ball from just beyond the goal box, dribbling in, and beating JJC keeper Andrea Antoni. Before the half was out, at 16:24, CSI made it 6-0 on Wysokowski’s hat trick goal, a beautiful bending ball from 25 yards out that she converted off of a turnover. From there, CSI hit the brakes and relented on the scoring, dumping waves of substitutions out onto to the field.
In the second frame, CSI added a pair of markers. Wysokowski completed her exceptional day by firing a blast from just beyond the top of the box that hit the top-shelf on assists from both Gelardi and Danielle Alexandrini at 52:13. Just over 12 minutes later, Martorano scored her second goal after stealing a ball and racing in off of the right side, beating Antoni on the short side for the goal.
CSI out-shot John Jay, 39-4 (18-1 on goal) in the game, as CSI keeper Jennifer Coughlin made the single save for the shutout win. The win was the 16th straight for CSI against a CUNYAC opponent, with CSI only allowing a goal in one of those 16 games (a 14-4 win over Brooklyn College this season). Despite the heavy loss, Antoni made 10 saves for the Bloodhounds.
Up next for CSI will be a date with CCNY in the Final. The Beavers were equally impressive in their semifinal victory, a 7-0 drubbing of No. 3 Lehman College. The two teams met a week ago to determine the CUNYAC Regular Season Championship, a 3-0 victory for the Dolphins.
Game time at Randall’s Island is set for 5pm on Saturday. Tickets to the game are FREE but fans will need a ticket to enter Randall’s Island. Tickets can be obtained here: www.cunyathletics.com/sports/2012/7/17/201213champtickets.aspx?.
