By Joseph Staszewski
Make it 33 in a row.Led by Lubo's first-half goal, top-seeded Arts and Business beat second-seeded Thomas Edison 2-1 Saturday at Campus Magnet High School. The win completed an undefeated season for the Bulls and earned them their second straight 'B' title.”We didn't want to break our streak (and lose) like last year,” said Lubo, a senior and the game's most valuable player. “After that game, our heads went straight down to the floor and (Coach Keith) Horan gave us this big lecture. It got us motivated.”Lubo, who only began playing soccer four years ago, helped make sure her high school career did not end the way it started. In the 29th minute, Lubo was able to control a throw-in that deflected off an Edison defender. She quickly turned and dribbled into the middle of the box. Then Lubo ripped a shot that deflected off Edison goal keeper Roschel Williams and into the right corner of the net. Lubo's team-leading 10th goal of the playoffs and her 22nd of the season gave Arts and Business a 1-0 lead.”As soon as I saw the defender miss that ball, I ran straight for it,” said Lubo, who will try and walk on at Dominican College in the fall. “I knew I could out hustle her.”In the second half, during which the Bulls managed seven shots on goal to the Lady Inventors one, Arts and Business (16-0) got a much needed insurance goal in a second half that saw the Bulls outshoot Edison, 7-1.In the 43rd minute, senior Vivian Rodriguez dribbled over midfield on the near side and sent a well-placed pass across the field. The ball sailed just over the outstretched leg of Edison's Christi Boggia to a streaking Angie Villamarin. The senior's shot beat Williams to the left corner of the net.”I give them a lot of credit for holding us to two goals,” Horan said. “We had a lot of pressure and Edison kept the game under control.”Edison, which lost to Arts and Business 2-0 in the second round of last year's playoffs, had plenty of opportunities to score. But they saw their leading goal scorer Anika Charles held in check and had to wait until the game's final minutes to tally a goal. In the 78th minute, sophomore Karen Canales scored on a towering kick from 25 yards out that just sailed over the hands of Bulls' goalie Aileen Alvear. But the one score could not erase the memory of the numerous potential goals that did not come to fruition.”They made the best of their chances and we didn't,” Edison coach Frank Denunzio said. “That's the bottom line.”The best chance for Edison (14-1-1) to score early came in the very final minute of the first half. Freshman Daniell Laiken sent a cross to a wide open Carina Edwards about 12 yards out. But Edwards' shot went wide right.For Edison, making it to the title game was a huge stride forward for a three-year-old program. For Arts and Business it was a continuation of their streak of success and the culmination of the careers of Lubo and the team's five other seniors.”It's like a gift that we are giving to them,” said Lubo of what the seniors want the championship to mean to the team's returning player. “Just like they're giving it to us, we're giving it back.”
