Somers soccer tops Ardsley to advance to semifinals

SOMERS, N.Y. - After going on the road to beat Pearl River last week, Somers got on the bus for Ardsley and rode in as underdogs for a second time. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, the role suited the Tuskers again.

The girls scored a 3-0 shutout and moved on to the semifinals.

Play began and mostly stayed in the Ardsley end. Nothing fancy, Somers maintained control for the first five or six minutes.

The Panthers finally escaped around the 33-minute mark, and a bouncing kick into the middle had Olivia Tatela all the way out of the net. Unable to win the race, the goalie was glad the Somers defense lent a foot and got there for the clear.

A few minutes later, Ardsley was back when its wing broke down the right sideline and centered inside. Caitlin Fitts got in the way, and the Tuskers took it the other way.

More than a change of direction, Tatela launched the goal kick to begin the sequence. Then Natalie D’Ippolito won a 50-50 ball before midfield and skirted a perfect ball ahead to Aurora Riley. With several steps to spare, the forward aimed for the left corner and gave her team a 1-0 lead.

In at 29:35, Ardsley came right back. Pressure resulted in a free kick from the 32, and Tatela needed every inch. She leapt high, got two hands on the ball but then dropped it. No problem, she turned and picked up the rock before the goal line was breached.

Next up for a near miss was Somers. Riley danced along the goal line and found a wide-open D’Ippolito in front. Unfortunately, she aimed and misfired on the wide-open left side at 24:31.

The junior didn’t let the missed opportunity get her down, though. Following an Ardsley foul, Riley settled the ball at the Panthers' 40, played give-and-go with Kate Hanford and then calmly passed ahead to Angie Giron. Another pass left D’Ippolito in front with one defender to beat, and a single move created enough room for the forward to hit the short side for a 2-0 lead at 12:45.

A minute later, Somers almost put the game away. Off a corner kick with 11:15 remaining in the half, the ball kicked around and found its way to Riley. On the right, the side was wide open, but she kicked just wide.

Still, there was no letting up, and the next near miss began when a defensive clear put the Tuskers on their horse. Riley passed to Amelia Marcus in the middle, and she hit Maeve Cleary on the right. All by herself, the hook looked on target until it clanked off the crossbar at 3:15.

On to the second half, Somers opened again by hemming Ardsley in its own zone. But another escape almost made a game of it. Off a free kick from its own zone, Ardsley’s wing got behind the Somers defense with the ball.

Pulled down 10 yards away, the Panthers had a penalty kick, putting Tatela on deck. The goalie went left, and one hand deflected the ball harmlessly out of bounds at 30:35.

With that chance missed, the Tuskers took advantage. Another 50-50 ball, Cleary did the honors this time at midfield. From there, it was to D’Ippolito, then Hanford and finally Riley. Her two-step move created space, and from there, Riley’s aim was perfect between the goalie’s outstretched hands and the crossbar at 21:47.