O’Dell, Toledo make Senior Day a smashing success with 6-0 win over Wilson
Posted on October 22, 2011
By: Kyle C. Leach
SOMERSET, N.J. – St. Elizabeth junior Kelly O’Dell scored twice and classmate Dina Toledo added a goal and two assists as the Screaming Eagles women’s soccer team defeated Wilson 6-0 in North Eastern Athletic Conference action on a chilly fall Saturday at Soccer Centers.
The final game of the season, the Screaming Eagles celebrated their lone senior, defender Patricia Yagecic, with a flower-filled celebration at halftime. St. Elizabeth concludes the 2011 season with an overall record of 5-14-0 and a mark of 4-8-0 in the conference.
The goals came early and often on Saturday for the Screaming Eagles. Toledo fed a pass to freshman forward Valerie Lasko at the top of the Wilson penalty box at the six-minute mark in the first half. Lasko toed a shot past the Wilson goalkeeper into the right side of the net for her team-leading eighth goal of the season.
St. Elizabeth struck again 13 minutes later in loud fashion. Wilson attempted to clear the ball out of their own penalty box but CSE freshman Samantha Cicio intercepted the ball. Without hesitation, Cicio uncorked a blast into the upper right corner of the goal for a 2-0 lead. It was the second goal of the season for Cicio.
The Screaming Eagles found the goal once more in the first half after some excellent teamwork. Toledo again controlled the ball at the top of the Wilson penalty box and passed out to the right side to Lasko on a vertical run. Lasko immediately sent a low cross across to the far post where O’Dell charged on the ball and planted it in the back of the net for her fourth goal of the season.
Holding a 3-0 halftime lead, the Screaming Eagles presented Yagecic with flowers and balloons and recognized her four years of time on the team. Yagecic’s parents and sister joined her at midfield for pictures and CSE head coach Ahmet Kose presented Yagecic’s mother with her own bouquet of flowers.
After the cheering settled down, the Screaming Eagles’ offense turned up the pressure on the pitch. Toledo netted her fourth goal of the season at 55:44 when she stepped in front of another Wilson clear and rolled a shot over the head of the Wilson keeper.
In the 74th minute, junior forward Jasmine Bristol scored her first goal of the season after tracking down a loose ball and deftly touching it into the left side of the net.
O’Dell capped off the banner afternoon for the Screaming Eagles when one of her patented long-range blasts scorched the upper left corner of the net at 77:37.
Starting goalkeeper Catherine De La Cruz did not allow Wilson to score in nearly 62 minutes in between the pipes, and after De La Cruz switched into a midfield position, junior Cassidy Crane kept the shut out in tact by saving the only shot she faced.
