Tara Ferraiuolo had a sense early that there was a different feel to her team. Her St. Peter’s girls soccer club fell behind early, not an uncommon occurrence for a team that hasn’t won a game in more than three seasons.
St. John Villa scored first. The Eagles didn’t fold, but answered.
“They are used to we get scored on and it goes downhill from there,” the second-year coach said. “They picked their heads up and came right back and they scored and they kept going from there.”
The Eagles used two goals from freshman Emily D’Arpe and a score by Jenna Apriceno to get past St. John Villa, 3-2, in CHSAA Staten Island girls soccer at Miller Park Tuesday.
“I know how hard this team has been working for it and I think we deserve it,” D’Arpe said. “Finally.”
Apriceno tied the score at 1 on a strike from 18 yards and D’Arpe easily beat a drawn out keeper to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead at the half. Villa (1-2) tied the score, 2-2, with 9:00 left in the game, but again St. Peter’s (1-2) quickly answered. D’Arpe scored the winner two minutes later from the top of the box off a pass from Megan Myhre.
“She just kicked it up and I just used my speed,” said D’Arpe, who said her team went “bananas” after the score.”
When the final whistle blew the team ran out and celebrated on the field. The Eagles had just nine players on their squad the last two seasons, always playing girls down. This year they have 17 and a new focus on winning, something this victory will only fuel.
“They are tired of being the losing team,” said Ferraiuolo, who was a star soccer player at St. Joseph by the Sea. “They want to prove everybody wrong now.“
PSAL CLASS A
Tottenville 5, Petrides 0: Kaitlyn Regan scored three goals and has eight for the season for Tottenville (5-0) in Staten Island A. Annemarie Mierzejewski and Brittany Sheeran each added goals and Erin Connelly had two assists. Petrides is 3-2.
Fort Hamilton 3, James Madison 0: Katie Fagan scored two goals and Rebecca Wainner added a score for Fort Hamilton (3-1) in Brooklyn A-III. James Madison is 1-4.
Midwood 1, Lincoln 0: Jessica Wishart scored a goal and dished out an assist for Midwood (3-3). Lincoln is 2-2.
PSAL CLASS B
Beach Channel 4, Springfield Gardens 3: Gerlisa Hills scored three goals for Beach Channel (3-0) in Queens B-IV. Jasmine Corona added a goal and Jessica Maiga and Oyindamola Aregbesola had two assists each.
South Bronx 4, Adlai Stevenson 2: Shaakira Harewood scored all four goals for South Bronx (2-1) in Bronx Manhattan B-I. Andreina Batista, Karina De Jesus, Katherine Galvan and Orajah Scotland each added assists. Stevenson is 0-4.
OTHER SCORES
HS for Math and Science 1, A. Philip Randolph 1
Banneker 1, Prospect Heights 1
Port Richmond 2, Curtis 2
FORFEIT WATCH: 3 (Total: 37)
Thomas Jefferson forfeits to Franklin Roosevelt
Van Buren forfeits to Francis Lewis
Campus Magnet forfeits to Far Rockaway