John Jay soccer edges out Byram Hills, readies for Pleasantville

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Tuesday, Oct. 28, John Jay hosted Byram Hills, and Maye Viders knew one thing for sure.

“Our defense is very strong. It’s one of the best in the league,” she said. Delivering on this night, one goal was all it took to move on to the semifinals.

Mykel Papa scored ten minutes into the game, giving John Jay a 1-0 victory heading to Pleasantville on Thursday.

Viders didn’t wait long to ignite the offense, though. The wing forced a penalty kick on the goal line and took the shot. Addressing the ball with Myla Schneider in the fairway, the header clanked off the crossbar at 36:36.

Byram moved the ball down the field nonetheless, earning a corner. High John Jay heads having their way, Papa fought through the congestion, and the action reversed fields.

With 33 minutes to go, the Wolves hemmed Byram in, and eventually, the ball rolled to an open Lila Baker. At the 30-minute mark, her loft sailed through the night and came down just wide of the crossbar.

Misplayed by the goalie, Viders was ready to strike again. “It was an insane corner by Maye,” said Papa. “A perfect curve, Audrey (Oestreicher) got her head on it, and I was able to finish.”

At 30:25, the goal didn’t slow down the wing’s momentum. On the other side, Kayla Cambareri chased another ball into the corner two minutes later, and her sheer will added another strong attempt for Baker. “She’s super aggressive and determined to get the ball,” clarified Viders. “She doesn’t give up and beats everyone.”

No surprise, Byram was doing a double take at 25 minutes. More fight on the edge, Viders’ effort earned Cambareri praise after Oestreicher put a shot on goal. “She gets past everyone, never drops her standards,” said the fellow wing, “and picks everyone up.”

The John Jay defense didn’t win every battle, though. Twenty-one minutes in, the Byram wing advanced her team upfield. Even so, the defense had their outsides’ backs, and moments later on the clear, Cambareri was causing fits again.

She took a lead pass, barreled past her counterpart, and sent a centering pass to Carly Mangiaracina. From there, the ball bounced high, but the Byram goalie narrowly won the race to the ball.

With the Bobcats’ defense getting a chance to rest, the offense was back in play when Jay was whistled for a penalty kick. Seventeen minutes remained, and the Wolf Pac swarmed, with Brook Epstein easily handling Natalie Cavada’s shot.

Up and away, Abby Mattiello controlled the ball, kicked long, and Julia Kowalcyzk ran underneath. She went wide at 12:52, and containing play in the Byram end, so did Oestreicher at 12:07.

With only one goal separating the teams, the defense aimed to keep it that way. Oestreicher didn’t want a long Bobcat kick to make a dent. She came flying forward, and the thud off her head redirected the ball in the opposite direction.

Papa did her teammate one better, kicking long and letting Viders win the sideline for another corner at 4:30. Mangiaracina centered to Ava Cervantes, but the shot on goal led to a close call for Byram. A cross from the bench side had Epstein facing a one-on-one, but the play was whistled offside, and Jay escaped to intermission.

The second half offered more of the same. The defensive swarm kept Byram from any clear chances, while Viders and Cambareri controlled the sidelines, letting the clock dwindle.

In the final minute, a high-bouncing ball at midfield had Viders skying for control, killing Byram’s last hope. Onto Pleasantville on Thursday, Baker hoped for a smooth path. “I feel like a 3-0 win would be good,” she concluded.