Notre Dame’s Bianca Russo controls a pass with her body. (Damion Reid)
It was a stage unfamiliar to Notre Dame. The Dragons beat defending champion Bishop Kearney in the semifinals to reach their first championship games in three seasons in CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens.
They made sure to take it all in, arriving at Aviator Sports Complex an hour before the match, trying to beat Fontbonne Hall there. The small Manhattan all-girls school is not used to playing on fields the size of what was waiting for them in Brooklyn.
“It was really exciting because we really don’t get to play on these nice fields,” junior Emma Pichl said. “It was nice playing on this big field with lights.”
The Dragons were able to keep perennial league power Fontbonne Hall within reach at the half, even with starting goalkeeper Alessandra Fusillo had to leave the game after her chest collided was hit by the knee of Fontbonne’s Colleen Ryan. Eventually the Bonnies talent was too much as they pulled away for a, 5-1, win in the Brooklyn/Queens championship Monday.
“I was playing more of a defensive game early on and that didn’t work out either for some reason,” Notre Dame coach Mike Pfeffer said. “Usually that holds up.”
Pfeffer kept Pichl back at sweeper until the second half and didn’t have his team make a major push on offense. It didn’t stop Kristiana Padavona from scoring two of her three goals before the half for Fontbonne (13-0). The sophomore then rifled home a rebound off a Ryan shot in the 11th minute and made a pretty move to beat defender Jessica Pfeffer in the 27th minute. She completed the hat trick 17 minutes into the second half.
“We just didn’t mark up properly. It happens,” Pichl said. “We just have to watch for the next time.”
Added Pfeffer: “Their forwards were too fast for us.”
The second goal was scored with Fusillo, the starting keeper, on the bench. Ryan’s knee hit the sliding senior in the chest as they both went for the ball in the box. Fusillo’s head went back and hit the turf because of the collision in the 17th minute. Fusillo, who made eight saves, left the game, but returned in the second half for Notre Dame (11-2-1).
“That was our strong keeper so it did hurt us with one of the goals,” said Pichl, who credited the job backup Emily Maher did.
Pichl broke up the shutout by scoring on a breakaway in the 74th minute. Roisin Clarke had the best chance to get Notre Dame back in the game, but missed just wide 1:30 into the second half. Adela Veljovic followed that with what appeared to be a developing breakaway, but Fontbonne’s Elena DeSantis was able to run her down.
“We thought we could get two goals,” Pichl said. “The last game versus Kearney we were down,1-0, and we came back. We didn’t, but it was a good game.”