Sports

Girls soccer roundup: Rubin, Columbia Prep stun SIA in OT

Ella Rubin nearly let her moment scoot away from her.

The Columbia Prep sophomore served a corner kick into the box that was headed back to her 18 yards along the left side. Rubin contemplated letting the ball roll of bounds, but with time running out in the second sudden death overtime she controlled it and sent a high shot toward the net.

“It popped back out to her and the entire bench knew what was about to happen,” Columbia Prep coach Andy Chappell said. “Everyone all stood up. We all kind of felt it was going.”

The ball sailed over the outstretched hands of Staten Island Academy goalie Deanna Lambiasi and into the upper 90 with less than a minute to play in the stanza. The goal gave the ninth-seeded Lions a dramatic 1-0 win against No. 9 Staten Island Academy in the play-in game of the NYSAISAA girls soccer tournament Wednesday at the Met Oval. It is the school’s first-ever state tournament win in its first appearance.

“When I shot it I just prayed it would go in and I don’t even remember it going in,” Rubin said. “The next thing I remember is my teammates tackling me and screaming.”

The victory was the signature one the Lions were working for all season to prove to themselves and the rest of the city that they could beat one of the top private school teams. Columbia Prep (18-2-0) lost to the Tigers (15-3-0), last season’s runner up, 2-0 during the regular season, but learned from it.

“It was one of those games that if they blinked for a second or didn’t go hard for just a second SIA was going to make us pay,” Chappell said.

Jessica Bonaventura and Carly Doyle bottled up SIA star Danielle Fuller, who is headed to Stony Brook. The Tigers best scoring chances came on corner kicks in the second 10-minute frame when Fuller and Gabby Tricorico send shots wide from in the box. Izzy Branco-Lo and Carly West controlled play at midfield and Gabriella Kahn gave Columbia Prep a spark up top.

“To say that we really wanted it is an understatement,” Rubin said.

Her team will hope to carry that momentum to their next game where the task doesn’t get any easier. Columbia Prep travels to The Bronx to face defending NYSAISAA champion, unbeaten and top-seed Riverdale 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Gaelic Park. The Lions have already lost to the Falcons 2-0 during the regular season.

“We just have to stay as mentally tough as we did against SIA,” Chappell said.

They only time his team lost it was when Rubin’s ball struck net.

“We were all crying at the end,” Rubin said. “We couldn’t have been happier.”

PSAL

Lab Museum 2, Midwood 1: Sofia Coutavas scored the winner from the top of the box late in the second overtime for No. 16 Lab Museum (8-5-0) in the opening round of the PSAL Class A playoffs. Emma Davis had a goal and Caitlin McCoy collected nine saves. Serene Drakes scored the lone goal off a pass from Veronica Miranda for No. 17 Midwood (8-4-1). The Gators advance to face top-seeded Bronx Science in the quarterfinals Friday at Lehman.

Bard 5, Petrides 0: Miriam Butler recorded a hat trick and Emma Lumey netted a goal and two assists for No. 11 Bard (10-4-0) in the first round of the PSAL Class A playoffs. Michal Mandil added a goal. Safiyah Riddle had two helpers and Zoe Kessler added one. The Raptors now face No. 6 Francis Lewis Friday in the second round. No. 22 Petrides finishes the season 5-7-1.

Tottenville 7, A.P. Randolph 0: Brianna Giasi scored twice and Erin Connelly had a goal and an assists for No. 7 Tottenville (9-1-3) in the opening round of the PSAL Class A playoffs. Nina Brennan had a goal and an assist and Gabriella Amoroso, Megan Grace and Nicole Tantillo each found the back of the net. The Pirates host No. 23 Cardozo Friday in the second round. No. 26 A. P. Randolph is 6-8-0.