South Side girls soccer's Valentina Marquardt records 9th shutout in win over Kellenberg
Goalie Valentina Marquardt of South Side jumps to touch the cross bar before the start of the second half of a Nassau AAA/NSCHSAA girls soccer crossover game on Thursday in Rockville Centre. Credit: Joe Orovitz
South Side girls soccer needed an answer in net after four-year varsity keeper Abby Gruner graduated.
The Cyclones found it. Sophomore Valentina Marquardt had eight shutouts in the first nine games of the season. Then came Catholic league powerhouse Kellenberg.
Marquardt did it again.
She made 12 saves to help lead South Side to a 3-0 non-league win over Kellenberg Thursday evening at RVC Sports Complex.
“I was talking to my defenders a lot, and we were all working together as a team,” Marquardt said. “They’re very strong together, and we work as one.”
Marquardt has allowed only one goal through 10 games for South Side. Viviana Haley and Mackenzie Dunphy helped lead the back end and came away with crucial defensive stops.
“Val, coming up, she’s been big,” South Side coach Judi Croutier said. “She’s athletic, so it helps add a lot of confidence in the back for us.”
The Firebirds dominated the early minutes and created opportunities. But time and again, Marquardt made stops.
“She is phenomenal, but we need to be able to finish,” Kellenberg coach Suzanne Sluka said. “We’re there. We’re creating, we’re attacking tonight, and we just need one to go in the back of the net to get the spark.”
South Side had only six shots on goal but capitalized on its chances. In the 12th minute, Haley’s free kick was initially stopped, but Madalena Suarez buried the rebound to give South Side a 1-0 lead.
“You never know what’s gonna happen,” Suarez said. “I knew the shot was gonna get on frame, so I was just ready and prepared.”
Just over a minute later, Maeve Martin scored, and after possessing the ball sparingly in the opening minutes, the Cyclones suddenly led 2-0.
In the first 10 minutes of the second half, Marquardt made three saves, including on a doorstep opportunity. She played aggressively and continued to preserve the shutout.
Martin then added her second goal midway through the second half, giving the senior two goals on senior night.
The Firebirds had defeated South Side in each of the previous three seasons, but on senior night, the Cyclones prevailed, boosted by Martin’s two tallies.
“It feels awesome because it is senior night, too,” Martin said. “Being a senior myself, it just feels great to go and enjoy the ceremony. It was a great team win. It’s really emotional because we’re all just so close, and we don’t want it to end as seniors.”
