Hauppauge Girls Soccer Shuts Down Rocky Point

Hauppauge girls varsity soccer team shutdown Rock Point, 5-0, in a non-league match on Wednesday. For junior Stephanie Paragallo, it was a hatrick plus two, with the help of her teammates. The win gave the Eagles a spring of confidence back in their step that hopefully will carry into their Thursday game against Islip.

Score: Hauppauge 5, Rocky Point 0

Records: Hauppauge (3-3-3 overall), Rocky Point (1-5-0 overall)

The Hero:  Junior Stephanie Paragallo pulled a hatrick plus some, scoring all 5 of Hauppauge's goals against Rocky Point. Paragallo scored four of those points in the later 20 minutes of the first half.

Paragallo struck fear into Rocky Point's goalkeeper, repeatedly shooting the ball with accuracy for the corners of the net.  She scored the first point for Hauppauge 20 minutes into the half, making a high cross from the corner of the 18-yard box into the opposite high cover of the net.  Senior Jessica Venturino made the assist.

The junior scored again only a minute later, driving the ball up the sideline to unleash a high cross that followed a similar arc, into the opposing corner of the net. Rocky Point's keeper dived, but the ball sailed into the net out of reach.

With 8 minutes and 50 second remaining, Paragallo scored as a low shot to the bottom corner of the net brushed by the goalkeeper's finger tips.

Before Rocky Point had the chance to regroup, the junior scored one more from the midfield to put the Eagles ahead 4-0 at the half. Paragallo would score again 16 minutes into the second half, on a fluke upfield shot that wind carried into the net.

The Turning Point:  Hauppauge Eagles dominated the game but were having difficulty finding net until Paragallo scored her first goal. Putting two past Rocky Point in a matter of minutes  demonlished the opponent's resolve, as Hauppauge took clear control of the game.

The Quote: "They showed up today. The dominated the a team we should have dominated, instead of letting them hang around and gain confidence," coach Jesseca Kulesa said.

The Bottom Line: The Eagles stepped up their game to claim a decisive victory in the non-league match, but continue to struggle in their regular season.  As a team,  Hauppauge needs to keep their focus and drive to put offensive pressure on their opponent. The team has proven they have what it takes to battle for the win.

Key Stat: Goalkeeper Diana Poulin made 4 saves bringing her total to more than 65 this season and recording her fourth shutout.

Who's Next? The Eagles will travel to face Islip on Thursday, 4 p.m.