By Laura Amato
Jacklyn Lada wasn’t really trying to score a goal, but she certainly wasn’t upset when it went in the net anyway.
The Francis Lewis junior’s cross curled around the defense, finding its way into the far corner and lifting the third-seeded Patriots to a 1-0 victory over Bronx Science in the PSAL “A” girls’ soccer semifinals at Randall’s Island Tuesday.
It was the first time the Patriots had advanced to the city final in program history, after coming up short against Bronx Science in each of the last two semis.
“I just thought, ‘thank God,’” Lada said of her game-winning shot in the 65th minute. “The third time is the charm with this team and we definitely wanted to win this year, especially after last season’s game when we lost in overtime. So that really means a lot to win this game.”
Lada’s shot wasn’t planned and the goal was a bit of a microcosm of the way the season has played out for Francis Lewis.
The Patriots have built their success on quick passes and lopsided possession, but Bronx Science was prepared for that—sticking defenders in lanes and forcing Francis Lewis to get creative.
So, the Patriots simply moved toward the sidelines.
“When we realized that we couldn’t get too much down the middle, we focused on trying to get down the sides,” said Lewis coach Eleni Sotiriou. “That’s where that goal came from and where most of opportunities came in because they had three defenders that were pretty solid in the back. We had to do something to get around.”
As soon as the Patriots started moving the ball, the tone of the game changed and Francis Lewis settled into its game plan. Of course, that game plan also focused on a dominant defensive performance.
Francis Lewis has yet to give up a goal this season and the Patriots back line continued to be the foundation of what the squad is able to do across the field. Senior goalie Elli Tsourapis hauled in a pair of big-time saves in the second half, while the defense regularly kept the ball out of the box.
“Our plan was to lock down their main players and make sure that they didn’t beat us down the wings,” said senior center back Sarafina Smith. “We wanted to stay tight so that our forwards could get up there and score.”
Bronx Science did its best to rally after Lada’s goal—notching two prime scoring chances on a corner and free kick in the final 10 minutes—but the Patriots’ defense held strong down the stretch.
“I could tell that my girls were exhausted, but during halftime I had told them to just give it everything you have,” Sotirious said. “This team has beat us the two previous times in the semis and these girls wanted it.”
The victory sends Francis Lewis to the PSAL championship Monday, taking on top-seeded Beacon at St. John’s University in a 4 p.m. game. It’s another challenge for the Patriots, but after getting over the semifinal hump, this team is ready for just about anything.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence going into the final,” Lada said. “And now we really think we have a chance.”
