Samantha Wysokowski aided CSI with two goals and an assist with the win
The College of Staten Island women’s soccer successfully defended their CUNYAC Regular Season Championship this afternoon, taking a 3-0 win over visiting City College of New York to wrap up conference regular season play at the CSI Soccer Complex. The win lifted the Dolphins to 11-5 overall and a perfect 6-0 in the CUNYAC for the second straight season. The Beavers, meanwhile, fell to 13-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play. By virtue of the title, CSI has earned the No. 1 seed in the upcoming four-team postseason tournament that will start on October 31.
Despite the final score the two teams were locked in a scoreless stalemate at the half, with neither team earning outstanding scoring chances. The Dolphins, however, seemed to control the play, earning a 10-2 shot advantage through the first 45 minutes. Still, CCNY netminder Nicole Carroll made three saves in the opening stanza, none truly threatening, while CSI keeper Jennifer Coughlan turned only one shot back. Despite dominating possession, CSI couldn’t muster up sustained pressure, while the visiting Beavers seemed frustrated by their lack of counter-attacking success.
The teams broke for halftime, and CSI started the second frame seemingly in control. The home unit did not allow a shot in the final 45, and an early tally by Samantha Wysokowski was all the team needed. After a quiet first half, Wysokowski gained great positioning racing down the left side, and buried home a low liner off of a feed from Gabriela Galeano to make it 1-0 just 5:17 into the second half.
The Dolphins were in control, but then accentuated the lead just over five minutes later. This time Wysokowski was spilled trying to penetrate the box. A foul was awarded, giving CSI a free kick right at the left hand corner of the goal box. Wysokowski did the honors and hung a bending ball into the top shelf that Carroll had no chance to save, giving CSI a 2-0 edge.
From there, it was all about defense, as CSI substituted freely and stayed fresh as CCNY was forced to press. Again from the left side, Wysokowski lobbed a ball into the box off of a free kick, that found a wide-open Demi-Jean Martorano who one-timed it into the cage for a 3-0 lead as time was winding down, with 4:12 left.
CSI finished with a 19-2 shot advantage (10-1 on goal). The physical game saw a total of 29 fouls whistled, with Melissa Gelardi (CSI, 77th minute) and Elif Demircan (CCNY, 87th minute) picking up yellow bookings.
The win by CSI means that the defending champs have locked up the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CUNYAC Postseason Tournament. The Dolphins will play No. 4 John Jay College, on Wednesday, October 31. Official game time will be announced tomorrow. No. 2 City College will face No. 3 Lehman College also on October 31, with a time to be announced.
