VSS tops Mepham to extend special run

It took some pretty special goals from some special Valley Stream South athletes to end a special girls’ soccer season for Mepham.

Sophomore Mia Asenjo had a hat trick and junior Kayla Camacho added a goal and an assist to lift upstart VSS, the No. 18 seed, to a 4-2 victory over the No. 7 Lady Pirates in a Nassau Class A playoff quarterfinal that lived up to all the hype Oct. 25.

Both teams came into the game undefeated and with conference championships in tow. The game-winner came with 18:01 remaining when Asenjo headed home an indirect kick from Camacho, who was a few feet away from where a corner kick would initiate.

“We work a lot on set pieces and have kids who can deliver and kids who can finish,” Lady Falcons coach Demetri Adrahtas said. “It’s a product of their chemistry and I’m so proud of these girls. We’ve gone on the road and beat the two most talented teams we’ve seen. Like us, Mepham has a lot of weapons and can score.”

Mepham, which blew out No. 10 Kennedy, 8-2, in the first round behind three goals and one assist from sophomore Rachel Eisert and a pair of goals from freshman Luciana Setteducate, finished with 13 wins and a couple of ties in 16 games.

“I think we played well and did most of the things we set out to do,” Mepham coach Janine Bizelia said. “We could’ve used more offense in the second half. We sat back a little too much, but the girls gave all they had and you have to give Valley Stream South credit.”

South (17-0 after Sunday’s semifinal win over Wantagh) fell behind for just the second time all season when junior Brianna Wenthen scored off an assist from Setteducate with 13:50 remaining in the opening half. The visitors answered in the 34th minute off a set piece when senior defender Lindsey Smith lightly tapped the ball to Camacho, who drilled a shot just under the crossbar from 30 yards out and it was 1-1 at halftime.

“We were just looking to get back in the game and I had my eye on the net,” said Camacho, who ranks among Nassau’s leading goal scorers. “The ref said it was an indirect, so Lindsey and I quickly decided what to do. It’s something we practice and I was confident in my shot.”

The action was frantic throughout the second half and both teams struck within the first five minutes. Asenjo made it 2-1 when she converted a feed from senior Christina Hillery at the 3:01 mark. The Lady Pirates answered less than 90 seconds later when Eisert won several battles for a loose ball and sent a cross into the box for Setteducate, who cashed in for a 2-2 tie.

It was the most goals allowed in a game by South senior keeper Natalie Peralta, who made her biggest save on the doorstep with 15 minutes left to preserve a 3-2 lead. Asenjo then provided the insurance with a 40-yard free kick — into the wind — with 11:18 left.

Junior Bryana Pizzaro scored twice in the 3-0 semifinal victory, pushing the Lady Falcons into the county title game Wednesday at 7 p.m. against No. 8 MacArthur.