Sports

Girls Soccer: With the help of two posts, SWR advances to county finals

Shoreham-Wading River goalkeeper Lydia Kessel is mobbed by teammates Samantha Higgins (14) and Haley Rose after Friday's win. (Credit: Daniel De Mato)
Shoreham-Wading River goalkeeper Lydia Kessel is mobbed by teammates Samantha Higgins (14) and Haley Rose after Friday’s win. (Credit: Daniel De Mato)

CLASS A SEMIFINALS  |  WILDCATS 2, TORNADOES 1

They say that the goalposts are a goalkeeper’s best friend.

But tell that to Harborfields keeper Katie Hammer, who saw not one, but two shots by second-seeded Shoreham-Wading River hit the post and find their way into the net in the Wildcats’ 2-1 win in the Suffolk County Class A girls soccer semifinal matchup Friday. 

Sophomore Sophia Triandafils put in an Alex Kuhnle cross, knocking the ball off the right post past Hammer in the 34th minute for her second goal of the season to give SWR (17-0-1) the lead.

Senior midfielder Courtney Clasen sent a curving shot inside the penalty area that hit the inside of the left post with 17 seconds remaining in the first half for a two-goal advantage. Triandafils started the scoring sequence with a throw-in.

Sorry, no one on SWR hit the crossbar to make it a unique hat-trick.

The win boosted the Wildcats into the Class A final for the first time since 2006 as they will play top-seeded Sayville (15-0-3) at the Dowling College Sports Complex in Shirley at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Sayville defeated Islip in overtime, 3-2, on Friday. The Golden Flashes are also unbeaten this year at 15-0-3.

With No. 3 Harborfields (9-4-3) pushing up and trying to get back in the match, Olivia DeLuca sliced the deficit in half in a scramble in front of the net with 9:59 remaining past keeper Lydia Kessel. It was only the third goal SWR surrendered this season.

Shoreham-Wading River junior Megan Kelly fights for the ball with Lauren McMahon of Harborfields. (Credit: Daniel De Mato)
Shoreham-Wading River junior Megan Kelly fights for the ball with Lauren McMahon of Harborfields. (Credit: Daniel De Mato)