November 7, 2011
SHOOTOUT CHAMPIONS
Staten Island wins CUNYAC women's title

NEW YORK -- It may not have been the way they would they would have scripted it, but top-seeded College of Staten Island took home the City University of New York Athletic Conference women's championship, by recording a 4-3 win on a penalty kick shootout after playing to a scoreless draw against No. 3 John Jay College at Randall's Isalnd on Saturday.

It marked the Dolphins' sixth post-season crown and their first since 2008, giving them a record of 13-4-1. The Bloodhounds finished at 6-13-2.

The Dolphins outshot the Bloodhounds in regulation and extratime, 31-8, which included a 14-5 advantage on goal, but could not find the back of the net.

The teams went to a shootout and despite the jitters, CSI coach John Guagliardo was confident.

"We practiced this scenario so many times in practice," he said. "We were ready."

CSI led off, and Lauren Neglia buried her shot into the right side, JJ's Alexis Ochoa did the same against Samantha Wysokowski to knot the score at 1-1. Demi-Jean Martorano fired to the right side to give CSI a lead, and then Wysokowski dived to her right to stop Brenda Pitts' next shot to put CSI up 2-1 after two rounds. Wysokowski was next to shoot, but couldn't help her own cause, rolling a ball wide of the net, and JJ's Daniele Bassett rocketed a ball in to knot the score again, 2-2.

Next up was Natalie Tombasco, who tucked a ball inside the crossbar to stake CSI to the lead again. The goal was answered by Stephannie Rengifo, who placed one into the right corner to tie again. Down to their final shots, Christina Sgarlato fired home another to goalkeepeer Marcelina Kopec's left. In the final scene, John Jay's Jennifer Gomez fired on Wysokowski, who darted to the right and cut the ball down in its tracks to give CSI the exhilarating win.

"I'm very proud of them, especially after being here and losing last year [to Medgar Evers]," said a jubilant Guagliardo. "We knew that fully healthy, John Jay was going to give us everything they had and were going to be a big opponent for us tonight. We showed a lot of confidence at the end to come up with a win."

Wysokowski was named tournament Most Valuable Player. The field player was confident playing between the pipes for the Dolphins, even during the shootout scenario.

"Playing the field I know what to expect in these scenarios from the shooters and as the keeper, and I just knew I was going to make that last stop," she said. "It's such a great feeling to win this game, and to do it like we did."

CSI await word on possible NCAA Division III or ECAC Metro post-season bid.