Passafaro remains red-hot with two goals

On a balmy Monday night at Shark Tank Stadium, F.W. Springstead maintained its seven-year hex over archrival and host Nature Coast Technical.
The Lady Eagles, who entered the match 10-0-2 lifetime against the Sharks, posted its 11th series win in seven years behind a pair of goals by red hot senior Cristina Passafaro and a stifling defense anchored by the return of senior captain Kaitlyn Duke, 2-1.

Passafaro cooks

Five minutes into the match, Passafaro spoiled NCT goalkeeper Alicia Pierson's bid at a county-best sixth shutout when she cracked a 24-yard rocket inside the near post following a county-best fifth assist of the season by senior Cally Quinn, 1-0 Eagles.
In a defensive chess match, neither team scored again in the first half.
The complexion changed nine minutes into the second half on a patented set piece.
Junior Ashley Walker curled an entry pass to Passafaro, who headed the ball between the pipes for her second goal of the game and fourth of the season, 2-0. Walker's first assist of the season loomed larger as the match progressed.
Though both teams limited the other to seven shots on goal, it appeared that Eagle junior goalkeeper Monica Vega would head home with her fourth shutout and third in a row.
But after a Shark shot hit the cross bar with four minutes left, NCT senior Amanda Salazar poked in a rebound in front of the net past Vega to ruin the shutout bid, 2-1.
The win, the Eagles' third in a row, enabled Springstead to climb to 6-1 overall and 2-0-0 in county action while NCT dipped to 4-3-1 overall and 2-1-0 county play.
NCT lost starting center-mid Toni Agricola six minutes into the match when turned her right ankle. She sat on the bench with an ice pack the remainder of the match.
NCT's first-year Head Coach Lisa Brown was asked how her team played.
"The intensity wasn't as consistent," she remarked. "I think we got on our heels and a little too much. We struggled to overcome that."
Biggest positive?
"We fought till the end," declared Coach Brown. "It was nice to get a scrappy goal like that in the end. That's what I know this team is made of."

Other sideline

Except for Salazar's first goal of the season following a scrum in front of the net, Vega was supported in the back by sweeper Ashley Southall and Brittany Delgado. Southall and Duke both suffered early-season ankle injuries but appeared near 100 percent Monday night.
"I'm pretty upset we lost the shutout," explained the 16-year-old Delgado. "Tonight, we passed the ball really well. And the big thing was we played as a team. We had some unsportsmanlike calls against us that were bogus."
"I think we all tried hard," added the 17-year-old Southall. "Any defense's best friend is a good offense. Crissy (Passafaro) has been playing great for a few weeks. She had two great goals tonight."
How critical was the win?
"It's always a pretty big win in a rival game," responded Southall. "We've always beaten them."
Vega too was upset the Lady Eagles could not close out the match with a goose egg.
"I'm so upset, we worked so hard (for the shutout) and to lose it like that on a cheap goal," shrugged the 17-year-old Vega. "I was so excited for this match. My mom thought I was going crazy. I was here ready to go at 5:30 p.m."
Who stood out?
"Crissy (Passafaro) is on fire," smiled Vega. "She's definitely carrying us."

Record breaker

The triumph also served as SHS Head Coach Polo Furlong's 77th career win, surpassing the old county standard of 76 wins in girls soccer achieved in six seasons by John Bifulco.
Furlong admitted the record should be shared by all those who helped achieve it.
"This (record) is not just about me," Furlong said. "I couldn't have done this with the DeFrancescos, the Holtjes, the Faulkners, the Anthonys, the Passafaros, the Dukes and this year's new Springstead team -- they all had a hand in this. All those kids deserve to be recognized."
How'd he evaluate the match?
"Our defense was excellent," Furlong insisted. "NCT is a good team. They had some good opportunities, but our defense was outstanding."
And the offense?
"Passafaro's game gets bigger and bigger every match," admitted Furlong. "Tonight, Crissy beat Nature Coast. We couldn't have done it without her."

Springstead 2, Nature Coast Technical 1
SPG 1 1 -- 2
NCT 0 1 -- 1
Goals - SPG: Passafaro (2), NCT: Salazar.
Assists - SPG: Walker, Quinn.
Shots on goal - SPG: 7; NCT: 7.
Saves - SPG: Vega: 3; Pierson: 1.
Yellow cards - SPG: Passafaro, Quinn, Delgado - unsporting behavior; NCT: Doucet - unsporting behavior.
Blue cards - none.
Red cards - none.
Records - Springstead (6-1-0 overall, 2-0-0 county); Nature Coast Technical (4-3-1 overall, 2-1-0 county).