Photos: Garden City Girls Soccer Named NYS Champs

Defense wins championships!

Coach Mike Heedles and the Garden City girls soccer team has once again proven that statement is on the money as they came home with another state championship.

The girls went to Cortland for the New York State soccer championship for the second time in four years thanks to a run through the Nassau and Long Island playoffs highlighted by the fact that they didn't surrender a goal since an Oct. 21 regular season match.

The Lady Trojans outscored their playoff opponents by a margin of 15-0 and proved that it's tough to lose when you don't give up a goal.

From keeper Taylor Carpentier, most valuable keeper in Cortland, sweeper Deanna DiPierro, outside backs Megan and Colette Seel, to stoppers Kerri DeFliese and Katherine Galzerano, MVP at Cortland, the Garden City defense turned back team after team, attack after attack to take home the top prize.

The final against Honeoye Falls Lima High School was played in tough conditions with heavy winds and intermittent showers, but that didn't slow the girls down.

After a scoreless first half playing against the wind Garden City began to take control of the game in the second 40 minutes. Playing with the wind at their backs midfielders Haley O'Hanlon, Caroline Beaty and Katherine Malhame were able to pin Honeoye Falls Lima in their own end.

Garden City had the advantage in playing time, ball control and corner kicks but as any soccer fan knows until you put the ball in the goal it's anyone's game.

Pushing the attack down the right sideline Garden City's O'Hanlon launched a throw-in into the 18-yard box. Lauren Miesemer got her head on it to flick it towards goal where Galzerano fought through the defense to poke the ball on goal. Finding its way through several sets of legs, including Garden City's Kelly George, the winning goal hit the back of the net to send Garden City on its way to a second state championship in four years.

The Trojans had defeated a scrappy Burnt Hills team in the semi's on Saturday on the strength of O'Hanlon's hat trick to advance to the state finals.

For seniors O'Hanlon and Malhame it's the second title in their four years at the high school, while Carpentier, Beaty, Kayla Murphy, Nicole Chtchekine and Kaitlin Shea go out with a 2013 title to end their high school soccer careers.