Mixed Start For Highly-Ranked Northport

Senior midfielder Elizabeth Cianciotti pushes the offense forward for the Northport Lady Tigers. Long Islander News archives photo

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

The top ranked team from the Town of Huntington in girls soccer coming into the 2018-19 school year are off and running this season.

The Northport Lady Tigers were ranked at the top of this year’s preseason polls and are expecting a successful season on the pitch.

The Lady Tigers are looking to repeat as Suffolk County champions again this season under coach Aiji Gipp. The Lady Tigers went 18-2-1 last season, losing only one regular season game and the Long Island title game to Massapequa.

The season started well last Wednesday when the Lady Tigers opened the newly created Suffolk 1 division with a 2-0 win over Patchogue-Medford.

Opposition goalkeeper Cat Saxon made seven save in a valiant losing effort, but Northport just had too much in the locker.

Junior forward Olivia Carner got her name on the score sheet, while Lexi Sperling netting Northport’s second goal.

Goalie Bailey Piper has some big shoes to fill in net after Emma Havrilla graduated in June, but a four-save shutout in her first game of the season was a good start.

The Lady Tigers were quick to share the ball, and eager to communicate with their teammates.

As a result, Izzy Yeomans and Paige Leonard each earned the assist on one of Northport’s goals.

The Lady Tiger failed to build on this initial success two days later in their second game of the season when they struggled against Sachem East.

After a goalless first half, the game could have gone either way when the teams took the field for the second half.

Despite six saves by Piper, Sachem scored two second half goals to clinch a 2-0 victory against the Lady Tigers.

Northport looks to get back to winning ways this afternoon when they host the undefeated Thunderbirds from Connetquot at 4 p.m.