MacArthur eyes deep playoff run

MacArthur’s march toward the Nassau Class AA girls’ soccer playoffs hit a bump in the road with the loss of its top player, but the Lady Generals are still eyeing a deep postseason run.

Senior sweeper Tara Lyons re-aggravated a foot injury suffered last May in MacArthur’s 2-1 loss to Oceanside on Oct. 6, dealing a blow to a defense that has recorded three shutouts this season. As a result of losing the anchor of MacArthur’s backline, second-year head coach Michelle Towers decided to switch her alignment from a 4-5-2 to a 3-5-2 so there’s is an extra defender around the goal.

“She is a big, big part of this team,” Towers of Lyons, who is slated to play on the collegiate level at Coastal Carolina next year. “We are basically starting at square one without her.”

Defenders who will now be counted on more with the absence of Lyons are Jenna Silma, Alyssa Santeramo and Caitlyn Buckley. Goalkeeper Casey Barrett has played solid in net and made 11 saves in a 1-0 season-opening win at Calhoun on Sept. 8.

“She is aggressive,” Lyons said of Barrett. “She has come up with some big saves.”

Backing up Barrett in net is sophomore Erin Vaughan Ware, who made nine saves in a 2-0 win at Oceanside on Sept. 15

MacArthur has been led offensively by junior striker Arianna Montefusco, who has tallied nine goals despite often facing double and triple coverage. Montefusco was an eighth-grader on varsity in 2011 when the Lady Generals captured a state title.

“She has really stepped up this year,” said Towers of Montefusco, who tallied game-winning goal in last year’s 3-1 quarterfinal playoff win against Long Beach and now ranks among the top 10 scorers in Nassau County heading into this week’s action. “Her presence on the field is known.”

Others who key the offensive side of the field include Caitlyn Elia, Marissa Cannella and Nicole Imbrongo. Elia scored a goal and tallied an assist in MacArthur’s 2-1 win against Hicksville on Sept. 17.

All teams in Conference AA-1 automatically make the playoffs, with the top four earning a first round bye into the quarterfinals. With three regular-season games remaining, MacArthur (4-5-2) sits in fourth place behind East Meadow, Calhoun and Massapequa.

Following a game at Massapequa after press time, the Lady Generals close the regular season against Calhoun at home on Thursday at 4:30 p.m., followed by a road game with East Meadow on Monday.

MacArthur reached the semifinals a year ago before its playoff run was ended by Calhoun. Towers said the returning players from last year’s team that fell one win shy of playing for a county title are fueled to play deeper into fall this time around.

“We want to go farther but they have to work for it,” Towers said. “We have the potential.”