Staten Island, NY | College of Staten Island sophomore
Samantha LaValle made history in only her fifth game as a Dolphin, tying the school record for goals in a single game with a five-goal outburst this afternoon, helping CSI to a 7-3 win over non-conference St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn. the Dolphins won for the third-straight time, all on home turf, to raise their record to 3-2, while the Bears leveled to 3-3 overall.
Despite the lopsided final score, today's matchup was a well-contested affair most of the way, with open play and chances aplenty for both teams treating the fans to a good one. After a modest CSI flurry to open play, SJC exercised their potent counterattack and registered the game's first goal just six minutes in.
Julia Lavelle's right sideline sprint was a highlight, as she scurried the ball away from a pair of defenders, feeding the ball to Anisah Molic in the middle of the box. Molic slipped it to her left to Deserae Sequeira who buried the ball far post passed CSI keeper Kaile DiBenedetto to give the visitors the 1-0 score.
From there, CSI pressed for an equalizer, but kept getting thwarted. They misfired on a pair of shots and freshman keeper Reem Shaban was up to task for the Bears, parrying six shots, including a pair from point-blank range, robbing CSI's
Lauren Smith in the 36th minute.
CSI, however, kept knocking on the door, and finally, with just 1:52 left in the half,
Mirsade Pelinkovic crossed one into the box that landed right on to the foot of LaValle, who fired a direct shot from near the top of the box, beating Shaban on her left side for the goal to tie.
Riding that momentum, CSI literally stole the half just 1:01 later, when this time Pelinkovic scored what could have been the prettiest goal of the season, an unassisted bender from the near-sideline about 25-yards out that beat a sprawling Shaban, giving CSI a 2-1 edge with 51 ticks left until intermission.
CSI was happy to be up, but the 15-minute break proved to be a welcomed one for the Bears. Just 29 seconds into the second half, CSI misplayed a ball near midfield defensively, and right there was Julia Lavelle, who raced in and broke away from the defender and a one-on-one chance with DiBenedetto, burying the ball in for a 2-2 equalizer.
CSI needed to weather the storm and they did. DiBenedetto turned back a Molic shot from the top of the box to keep the score level, and then in the 51st minute, the LaValle show continued. The Dolphins stuffed one into the box, and forward
Nermina Bracic played one off the knee and onto the waiting boot of LaValle, who punched it in from in-close, putting CSI back up, 3-2.
CSI then had a goal by LaValle disallowed by an offsides call just two minutes later, but the Dolphins kept putting on enormous pressure. After four shots failed to score, Smith finally got her goal, stuffing one in after a Pelinkovic cross and a LaValle flick on the goal line, giving CSI a 4-2 leads with 29:58 to play.
The Bears seemed to tire from there, and their rushes up the pitch became measured. CSI took advantage, and just 1:05 later, LaValle scored her second hat-trick of the season.
Natalia Sandor and Smith combined for quick-punch passes to get LaValle the ball and she stuffed in another at close range to make it a 5-2 game.
With CSI controlling play, an unmarked LaValle scored her fourth in the 70th minute, this time taking a long through-ball pass from Smith and going in alone, beating Shaban to make it 6-2.
The Bears had time, however, for another highlight from their Lavelle. The freshman scored her second of the game accepted a similar long through-ball feed from Molic and converting on another breakaway to make it 6-3 with 16:13 left to play.
Capping the scoring and getting the last laugh, however, was LaValle and her record-tying fifth marker of the game. This time the sophomore accepted another Smith feed and raced down the right side, gaining the box and then uncorking a shot into the far post for the final tally.
For LaValle, the fifth goal tied a record set by Demi-Jean Martorano in a game played on October 1, 2012, a game won by the Dolphins, 14-4. LaValle became only the fifth CSI player in history to record four goals in a game as well. Smith's three assists tied her career high, and marked CSI's 16th three-assist game of all-time.
CSI led the final shot-count, 34-11 (23-6 on goal), and held a more modest, 6-5, edge in corners. Despite the loss, Shaban made a hefty 16 saves for the Bears, while DiBenedetto made three in victory. LaValle finished the game with 16 shots, 12 on goal, while SJC's Lavelle led all Bears with four shots, three on goal.
Now on a three-game win streak, CSI will get set to open up conference play on Wednesday, September 19. They will travel to Randall's Island to face John Jay College in a 3:30pm in the CUNYAC opener for both teams.
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