Tough start for youthful Oceanside

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While it wasn’t the victory Oceanside was seeking, coach Mariana Winchester believes the youthful Lady Sailors can use last Friday’s 2-2 draw at Syosset as a stepping stone in Nassau Conference AA-I girls’ soccer.

Freshman Luigina Serrao scored the tying with eight minutes remaining in the second half off a feed from junior Alexa Mihale. The two hooked up for the team’s first goal in the first half, with Serrao assisting Mihale. Freshman goalkeeper Mary Cecil made 11 for Oceanside, which stands 1-4-1 overall.

“The girls are a little frustrated, but they have to keep battling and not lose their confidence,” Winchester said. “We have some great young talent. We only had four returning starters. Underclassmen are getting a lot of playing time. The chemistry still isn’t there, but traditionally we’ve always been a second-half team.”

Fielding such a young team — Oceanside has six seniors on a roster that goes 25-deep — in Nassau’s top conference is quite a challenge, Winchester said. “We’re not matching up in the physical part of the game,” she explained. “It’s Conference I and we’re facing big, strong teams with kids who’ve played together for a long time.”

Cutting down on fouls and finishing around the cage are two aspects the Lady Sailors need to turn around, the coach noted. “We had 13 fouls,” Winchester said after last Friday’s tie. “We have to cut down on the fouls and also where we commit them.”

The offense is starting to turn a corner in terms of putting on pressure. “We’ve improved our shots on the goal to the point where we’re at double figures,” Winchester said. “That’s a positive. We know we have to finish better, and hopefully we will in the second half.”

Serrao, who played JV as an eighth-grader a year ago, has been paired up top mostly with her older sister, Melina, a sophomore who’s versatile enough to contribute anywhere on the field. Luigina, said Winchester, “not only has soccer smarts, but foot skills and speed.”

Mihale and freshman Ashley Ladner are beginning to hit stride at center-midfield, while senior captain Nikki Bermudez and junior Grace O’Rourke work on the outside. Mihale and Ladner both scored, along with sophomore Jillian Bloom, in the team’s 3-0 non-league win over New Hyde Park. Bermudez, in her fourth varsity campaign, provides leadership along with senior captain Michelle Lomoz. “Nikki is 110 percent heart,” Winchester said. “She’s a feisty player”

Defense is where most of Oceanside’s depth is found. Lomoz is a vocal leader at center back, senior fullback Kaitlyn Rapp brings a wealth of experience and a solid skill set, and juniors Ashley Bentsen and Julia Burns are also contributing.

In goal, Winchester said the future is bright with Cecil. “Mary impressed me when I saw her at the Middle School level last year,” Winchester said. “She’s agile and communicates well. She’s averaging about 10 saves per game and is able to make the difficult saves.”

A game at East Meadow, after press time on Tuesday, concluded the first half of the conference slate.