Friday, November 7, 2025
Fresh off its first county title in 45 years, Oceanside’s girls soccer engineered another historic victory Sunday afternoon at Farmingdale State College, fending off surging Syosset, 2-0, to repeat as Nassau Class AAA champions.
The Sailors won it behind a lights-out performance from junior goalkeeper Ella Murray and goals from senior Ava Bowers and junior Gianna Visone. Bowers scored unassisted in the 9th minute and assisted on Visone’s insurance goal in the 51st minute.
“This means so much to all of us and the entire community,” Oceanside coach Danielle Chiera said. “It’s a special moment for the program. It not only speaks to the girls that won last year and this year, but anyone who’s ever worn this uniform.”
One of those former players, a member of the 1979 county championship team, Grace Cucchissi, was in the stands cheering on the Sailors and the crowd erupted early when Bowers intercepted an errant Syosset pass at the top of the box and slid a left-footed shot past a diving keeper and just inside the post for a 1-0 lead.
“I always aim for the back post,” Bowers said. “It wasn’t the hardest shot and it took some time to get there. I was so relieved it went in.”
That proved to be all the offense top-seeded Oceanside (9-5-4) would need, but it was far from easy in what was a highly physical game from start to finish. Murray made a handful of dazzling saves in each half as the Sailors advanced to face either Northport or Commack for the Long Island Class AAA title Saturday at 10 a.m. at Walt Whitman High School.
“Honestly, we don’t win this game without Ella,” Chiera said. “She was incredible. She was a brick wall. Big save after big save.”
Third-seeded Syosset entered the postseason in a tailspin, going 0-6-1 in its last seven Conference I matches, but never lost faith according to coach Tyler Arnone and knocked off No. 6 Farmingdale and second-seeded Massapequa en route to the finals.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our group,” Arnone said. “They never stop fighting and never stop competing. Internally, we never stopped believing in ourselves. The result didn’t go our way, but Oceanside is a great team.”
As the defense consisting of Addison Goldstein, Riley Harrington, Jordyn Davis, Maddy McMurray, Ella Hickey and Murray kept Syosset off the scoreboard, Bowers and Visone connected for a much-needed insurance goal that brought Oceanside 28:52 away from the repeat title.
“Ava made a great cross and I did everything I could to get to it and get a foot on it,” Visone said. “It felt really good to go up by two and take some pressure off, but there was still a long way to go at that point.”
But the Braves were unable to solve Murray.
“It’s a great feeling we kept them at zero,” said Murray, who finished with 10 saves in what was her second straight shutout.
The Sailors beat fourth-seeded Port Washington, 6-0, in the semifinals Oct. 28 behind a goal and two assists from Ryann Zydor and a pair of goals from Molly Boller.
Now Oceanside will try to make more history as it aims for a first-ever L.I. crown.
“We’re confident,” Bowers said.
