Soccer - Girls Varsity

The MSDA Varsity Soccer Team travelled to the magnificent Mount Saint Mary Academy Stadium to face the home team for the first round of the 2008 NJSISA Tournament on November 4, 2008 and came away with an impressive 3-1 win. Despite a very evenly contested first half, the Lady Lions went into the lead at 21:18 when junior midfielder Gianna Fazio intercepted just over the half way line and played forward to Allison Mejia. The freshman striker cut the MSM defense in half with a brilliant through ball that Kate Casadonte ran diagonally onto. The junior goal racker instinctively charged forward and finished to the corner of the net.

Second half scoring began at 54:17 when junior midfielder Kate McKenna served a driven corner kick from the right side that was met with a Meghan Duffy cracking volley from the top of the 6 yard box to make it 2-0. The sophomore defender-midfielder notched this goal at a crucial moment of the game and allowed the MSDA squad to settle into a cohesive rhythm for the remainder.

Mount Saint Mary Academy was able to get on the the scoreboard at 78:20 but The Mount from Essex County responded with a third goal in injury time at 80:42 when Gianna Fazio again intercepted and found freshman defender-midfielder Kaitlin Astrella on the right flank. Astrella rolled it toward the center to Kate McKenna and the junior center-half penetrated on the dribble, cut to the left to avoid an opposing defender, and roofed the size 5 Wilson Optima with style to put the game out of reach at 3-1.

Coach Mignone cited sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Tighe with 7 spectactular saves and Kate McKenna as the players of the match.