H-ton Girls’ Soccer Wins on Senior Day

The Huntington High School girls’ soccer team topped Bellport, 2-1 on a goal by Samantha Lynch in a dramatic overtime victory on Senior Day at Blue Devil Field. The win propels the team into a Suffolk Class AA playoffs game next Monday afternoon.

The victory improved Huntington’s record in league play to 7-2-3 and 8-3-3 overall. Playing before a crowd of about 200, the Blue Devils took an early lead on a goal by senior forward Summer Rudish.

“We started off the game with a lot of energy and determination,” Rudish said. The teenager is one of the players head coach John Walsh and assistant coach Vincent Tannazzo count on when they need a spark to get the team rolling.

The game’s first goal unfolded like poetry in motion. “Molly Brambil began the play by taking the ball up-field and crossed it to the corner to Emily Saltman, who played a beautiful ball across the goal, past the defenders and goalie,” recounted Rudish. “I then volleyed the ball into the goal, just hugging the left post.”

The quick goal provided Huntington with an edge for the remainder of the first half as the Blue Devils controlled the ball for a majority of the time, managing to get off numerous shots.

Bellport tied the game in the second half by getting a ball past Huntington’s magnificent goalie, Taylor Moreno. The sophomore has only surrendered six goals the entire season while notching eight shutouts.

Moreno has been nothing short of brilliant stopping shots this fall. While she clearly is seeing the ball well and effectively reading the play as it takes shape, there’s something more to her success. “It’s my positioning,” the teenager said when asked what the key to her performance. “I am in the right position at the right time.” She exudes a sense of invincibility, a quality any successful goalie needs to possess. Against Bellport, Moreno recorded nine saves.

What proved to be the game winning goal came during the first of two ten-minute overtime periods. Lynch scored from 14 yards out off an assist from senior Emily Saltman. The Blue Devil defense clamped down hard the rest of the way.

“The defense has been extremely important in some of the close games we had this season and having Taylor in goal is very reassuring,” sophomore forward Katie Reilly said.

“We have some really skillful key players on the field this year, however we largely owe our success to our team chemistry,” Rudish said. “We care for each other on and off the field and we’ve become a little family. That mutual respect and cooperation is necessary for a team to have any success, whether it be winning the game or planning a pasta party or the pep rally dance. The senior game today proved that.”

Next week’s playoffs will present the Blue Devils with a new set of challenges. But, Huntington will never be caught looking ahead. “We like to take these games one at a time,” Reilly said. “Walsh and Tannazzo always say the most important game is the one you’re playing.”

Senior Day Ceremony

Following the overtime win over Bellport, Huntington gathered on the track near the field house at the south end of Blue Devil Field for a 15 minute Senior Day ceremony. Walsh spoke about Megan Healy, Naomi Medina-Jaudes, Kim Smith, Summer Rudish, Molly Brambil, Emily Saltman and Morgan Mars; players that have meant so much to the Huntington girls’ soccer program over the years.

After going to the county finals in 2009, Huntington struggled during the next three years, missing the playoffs by a single point in both 2010 and 2011 and falling even further last year. This fall the program has seen a renaissance as it returns to post-season action.

Walsh sung the praises of each of the seniors, recounting their respective careers with the program and calling out what they have done to make the Blue Devils winners. “They have seen us through a tough time and now we are headed back to the playoffs,” he said.

Underclassmen created posters celebrating the careers of each of the seniors and affixed them to the Blue Devil Field bleachers prior to the game. After Walsh spoke about each senior individually, the player was presented with a bouquet of flowers by the coaches. The group then huddled together for a commemorative photo as darkness set in.

“I know I’m going to miss these girls so much next year,” Rudish said