SPORTS

Mepham clinches playoff spot

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Mepham played for a worthy cause as well as for a berth in the Nassau Class AA girls’ soccer postseason tournament last Friday night and topped visiting Baldwin, 3-2, on a goal by sophomore Kristin Lasker with about 15 minutes remaining.

Lasker netted the winner after a nifty one-on-one move only 45 seconds after the Lady Bruins pulled even on senior Jade Aponte’s goal. The Lady Pirates (7-4 in Conference AA-II) took on a defensive mindset the rest of the way and punched their ticket to the playoffs with a fourth straight conference victory. Freshman Sarah Bayer and eighth-grader Maddie Pascarella also scored for Mepham, which will be seeded No. 9 or 10 and visit Syosset, Oceanside or Hicksville in a first-round playoff game this Saturday.

“Baldwin is a tough team to play against,” Mepham coach Janine Bizelia said. “We settled down after falling behind 1-0. I thought we played well.”

Prior to the game, which served as part of the team’s month-long fundraiser expected to raise approximately $1,000 for the American Cancer Society, the Lady Pirates honored seniors Samantha Picinich, Andrea D’Sa, Ariana Bauer, Emily Madden, Taylor Black, Nicole Digrazia, and Katie Grodski.

Picinich, a five-year varsity player, is headed to Rider University on a soccer scholarship. The center-midfielder has 13 goals, tied with Bayer for the team lead, and three assists. “Give Sam any space or time when she’s in close, and the ball will be in the back of the net,” Bizelia said. “She’s a dynamic player.”

Pascarella, who curled in a corner kick to tie last Friday’s game at 1-1 late in the first half, is the other starting center-midfielder. “She’s all but 4-foot-9 and maybe 80 pounds, but she’s one of the best players on the field with the ball at her feet,” Bizelia said. “She takes all of our corners.”

D’Sa is a defensive standout in the middle and brings speed and a non-stop motor. She lends support to a back row led by Madden and freshman Annmarie Hagerty in the center, and Bauer, sophomore Emily Amato and junior Olivia White on the outside. The group has a lot of speed and communicates well, Bizelia said.

Freshman Victoria Castela is the starting goalkeeper. She has 46 saves on the year. “She’s smooth on her feet and isn’t afraid to challenge shooters,” Bizelia said.

Bayer is the lone forward in Mepham’s 4-5-1 alignment. She had five goals in a game against Herricks on Oct. 6 and then scored twice, along with Lasker, in what Bizelia called the biggest win of the season, a 4-1 victory at Plainview on Oct. 14. “Sarah’s the fastest player I’ve ever coached,” she said of Beyar.