Stingy Lynbrook earns playoff win

Posted

With striker Tyla Vuotto racking up an epic goal-scoring numbers, notching 22 goals in 13 regular-season games, Lynbrook girls’ soccer coach Michael Palumbo felt he needed to make a goalkeeper change entering the playoffs.

With three games left to the regular season, Palumbo decided to pull junior co-captain Katie Sharkey from forward and return her to goalkeeper, where she played in the season opener. 

In doing so, Palumbo took Sara Cilingir out of goal and onto the defensive line. The Owls have allowed just 1 goal since – in four games.

After posting a 9-1-2 regular season in A3, finishing in second place and earning the No. 15 playoff seed, Lynbrook won its first-round game on Monday by blanking Mineola, 3-0.

 Sharkey recorded the shutout with five saves, including a majestic stop on a point-blank kick off a rebound. 

With a big game from sophomore midfielder Gabby Meszaros (1 goal, 1 assist), Lynbrook advanced to the second round Wednesday after press time versus No. 2 seed Garden City. Meszaros set the tone in Monday’s victory with a first-half goal as Lynbrook led by a slim 1-0 at halftime. 

 “I needed to switch them,’’ Palumbo said of his goalie change.  “The closer we got to playoffs, it’s more defense than offense. We were going up too many goals. So I wanted to get her [Sharkey] back on the defensive line.’’

 Sharkey started the opener in goal but was moved to forward partly because she was dealing with an elbow injury from softball. That made it easier to play on the field than in nets. 

“She’s always been an athletic young lady, which makes her so versatile in soccer and softball,’’ Palumbo said. “By putting her back in goal, my defensive line becomes that much stronger with Cilingir on that backline.’’

That could add more pressure on Vuotto’s scoring ability and she’s ready for it. Vuotto scored a goal and an assist in the playoff win over Mineola. 

She’s second in Nassau County with 23 goals – which is 10 more than her total from last season when she shared the center midfield with her graduated sister, Olivia, now at Binghamton but not playing soccer.

Vuotto also has 4 assists. “I’m super happy with my goals,’ Vuotto said. ‘It was big this year I was able to step up considering my sister was gone from last year. I knew I had to take over and bring a lot to this team and lead.’’

There was some doubt how things would transpire after her sister, Olivia Vuotto, last season’s leading goal-scorer, departed. 

“We are very different,’’ Vuotto said. “I’m a lot more explosive, running everywhere. She’s more technical, a lot more skilled. But I’m all over the field.’’

Vuoto is a senior and will be off to Cortland next fall. Cortland is site of the high-school state tournament. No matter how far Lynbrook advances, its future looks strong. 

Led by Sharkey, 14 of Lynbrook’s 22 players are underclassmen. “They’re really following leadership of Sharkey and Vuotto,’’ Palumbo said. “These young girls are playing spectacular ball and working really hard.’’

After an unbeaten record after six games, the Owls lost to Long Beach. It’s their only defeat of the season but their two ties haunt them. Long Beach won the A3 regular-season title with an 11-1 record. 

Lynbrook’s second tie was a disappointment – coming against Division in torrential rain. By missing out on the conference title, Lynbrook was handed a low seed and Garden City is tough. 

“It definitely will be a big challenge with our seeding,’’ Vuotto said. “But everyone on our team is confident with a lot of energy.’’