Sports

Tigers can’t turn second-half surge into goal

Nearly everything was just right for Emily Mason.

The Bishop Kearney forward was at the top of the box on the left side, all alone with a cross from Shannon Fahy heading her way. The ball hit the turf and bounced up. Mason waited and waited for it to settle.

The Tigers were still looking for their first goal after putting tremendous pressure on Notre Dame. But the ball kept bouncing, bouncing enough to give a Dragons defender time to come and knock it away without Mason getting a solid shot off in the 64th minute.

“I was in the perfect position and then the bounce on this turf,” Mason said. “My foot just couldn’t find the net.”

Neither could her teammates.

Though Kearney dominated play after halftime it had to settle for a 0-0 tie with Notre Dame in Brooklyn/Queens CHSAA girls soccer at Chelsea Park in Manhattan Wednesday afternoon. Afterwards, the Tigers were quick to point out the turf field as a hindrance, and the fact they had worn their cleats instead of turf shoes because they were unaware of the surface.

“We were afraid to hurt [ourselves],” Mason said. “If you slide on the concrete with your spikes you can hurt an ankle and your knees.”

The nets were also smaller than regulation size. Notre Dame coach Mike Pfeffer said he cleared it with the league, that it was the best the small Manhattan school of 500 could afford to use. Kearney coach Charlie Candela said the nets were legal for indoor soccer, but not outdoor.

Kearney (3-1-1) had plenty of chances to find the back of it though, especially after the break as it peppered the net. But Notre Dame goalkeeper Alessandra Fusillo made seven saves and centerback Emma Pichl made crosses difficult. The Tigers had good looks in the first half, too, including a shot off a takeaway by Danielle Farragher along the left side in the 34th minute.

“We created a lot of action,” Candela said of his team’s second-half push. “Unfortunately we couldn’t finish.”

One of their best opportunities came in the 50th minute when Christina Abbate had a shot from the top of the box saved after taking a tough slide tackle by Notre Dame’s Adela Parola. The senior hurt her right leg on the play and didn’t return. She said the outcome would have been different had Parola not broken it up for Notre Dame (3-0-1).

“If she wouldn’t have stuck her leg out, yeah, without a doubt,” Abbate said.

The Tigers have yet to lose since falling to Fontbonne, 4-0, in its season opener. Cadella said the improved play was the result of a tweak he made in the team’s base formation. Kearney is pleased with the way it is playing right now, even if it wasn’t satisfied with Wednesdays’ frustrating result.

“I’d rather take a tie then a complete loss,” Mason said. “We didn’t want to give then the satisfaction of winning.”