Sports

CHSAA girls soccer state semifinals roundup: Ricca stars in Hill’s tight loss to St. Anthony’s

St. Joseph Hill was where it wanted to be thanks to goalie Kristy Ricca.

“If you had to write a script we were kind of where we wanted to be,” Hilltoppers coach Tom Siller said. “We were in the game late and we had an opportunity.”

The junior played the game of her career, making 24 saves, including a diving stop to the post on a first half penalty kick, to keep the Hilltoppers within a goal of CHSAA power St. Anthony’s.

The equalizer never materialized and the host Friars held on for a 2-1 win in the CHSAA girls soccer state semifinals Saturday afternoon in South Huntington. It was the first loss of the season for the all-girls Staten Island school, ranked No. 1 in the city by The Post. They face Christ the King 12 p.m. Sunday in the consolation game.

“She was lights out,” Siller said of Ricca. “She was out of her mind — wonderful game from Kristy Ricca today.”

Hill (14-1-0) did have a chance to get even with five minutes remaining in the game. Stephanie Quinn fired a shot from 6 yards off the bottom of the cross bar. The ball came down near the goal line to Victoria Chirico, but she could not finish.

“It was a wild play,” Siller said. “I was sure we were going to score. I couldn’t believe it.”

All the scoring was done in the first half as Sydney Arestivo and Reanna Marino netted goals for St. Anthony’s to put the powerhouse up 2-0. Chirico answered with a score off a pass from Jennifer Cosenza to pull Hill within 2-1.

He felt the Friars (15-1-4) had the better of the play, but were just peppering the net from the outside. Last week, Hill won its second CHSAA Archdiocesan title in three years. Two seasons ago it beat Fontbonne Hall to advance to the state final and was in position to possibly do so again.

“That was kind of the game plan, to give ourselves a chance,” Siller said. “Don’t let them carry the score away and we’ll get our chances. All that worked out. We just didn’t finish our chances.”

Nichols (Buffalo) 6, Christ the King 0: Cat Williams netted three goals for defending champion Nichols (17-2-0) in the CHSAA State semifinals. The Royals played the game without sweeper Cathy Lume, who was hit by a car Thursday, according to coach John Fayad.

“She didn’t break anything,” Fayad said. “She was on the field today, but she can’t play.”

The sophomore suffered bruises on her right side, but was in South Huntington to watch the game with her teammates. Sophomore midfielder Francesca Giglio replaced her in the back. The CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens champion Royals (12-2-2) play St. Joseph Hill in the consolation game 12 p.m. Sunday at South Huntington.

“My message to them was this is the level you have to get to beat any team or even finish off a state title,” Fayad.