Indian Summer arrived just in time for Homecoming Weekend as the girls’ soccer team took on Pierson yesterday afternoon. They were not clad in their familiar white jerseys but in pink shirts that read, “Kicks for Cancer,” a Suffolk County breast cancer fundraiser to which our girls contributed. In front of a large crowd of alumni the girls played well and dismissed the Whalers 2-1.

1st Half

The game’s momentum was heavily in the Bears’ favor in the opening half as nearly all of the play transpired on Pierson’s side of the field. The scoring started quickly as Brianna Stiklickas, our designated corner kicker, lofted a beauty that found the head of Brannon Burke to give the Brook the early lead. After several more close chances, including a near goal off of a header by Michelle Hennessy, Hennessy split two defenders and gave a beautiful cross to 8th-grader Emily Pius who volleyed in the pass on a fly for her first varsity goal.

Perhaps the most impressive play of the half came when Hennessy, courtesy of a perfect cross from Gianna Scavo, juggled the pass then lofted a high shot that unfortunately struck the crossbar. It was a solid half on both sides of the ball. We dominated the time of possession and goalkeeper Danielle Pappas was never tested thanks to the suffocating defense of Stiklickas, Burke, Madison Rylands, and Christine Brathwaite. | 2-0

2nd Half

There was a lull in zeal for the Blue and White during much of the second half which affected their quality of play. Pierson was able to attack with much more consistency and our goal opportunities all but evaporated. Still, we were very much in control of the game until Pierson scored off of a set piece with less than seven minutes remaining. Suddenly a foregone conclusion became a battle, which seemed to wake up our girls in time to hang on for the 2-1 victory. The latter half was a bit sloppy, but the girls persevered and did what they had to do to earn a gritty win. | 2-1

Impressions

In the last meeting with Pierson several weeks ago we prevailed, 6-1. Chalk up the four-goal difference between that match and yesterday’s to the girls being a bit off their game in the second half. Let’s remember that they have played most of the season without All-League player Kelsey Wentling and New York State Player of the Year Donna Liotine and had to go through a stretch without our rock in the backfield, Brianna Stiklickas. Some of the girls are battling the aches and pains that descend on most athletes at this point in the season and they have to walk onto every field with a prodigious target on their backs: New York State Champions.

Despite the adversity and the immense expectations on their shoulders, they have performed well and stand at 2nd in League VIII with a 5-1 record. A benefit of going through periods without some of our stars is that it has required others to step into those roles, giving them valuable experience that could pay dividends once the playoffs arrive. When Liotine rejoins the team they could be even more deadly than they already have been this year. The girls will be road warriors next week with three big games on their plate:

• Monday, October 11 @ Mercy (4:30pm)
• Wednesday, October 13 @ Southold (4:30pm)
• Friday, October 15 @ Smithtown Christian (3:30pm)

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