Classical girls soccer finally gets past Salem

LYNN – Finishing is the name of the game in soccer these days, and Wednesday, at Manning Field, it was the Classical girls who finished, and Salem that did not.The final score was 1-0, Rams, but that really didn?t indicate the level of action.?I thought it was up and down all afternoon,” said Salem coach Fred Day, whose keeper, Jaclyn Panneton, made some nice saves and kept the game deadlocked before Classical?s Krista Cuozzo finally notched the game-winner with 11:00 left.?It could have easily ended up 0-0, or even 1-1,” Day said. “Classical is playing real well. I see them playing for each other, and playing cohesively. That?s a tough team. I thought this was a pretty well-played game.”Neither team scored in the first half, and the action pretty much stayed around the center of the field. But all that changed in the second half, as each keeper was called upon to keep the ball out of her net. Particularly impressive was Classical?s Jillian Strileckis, whose aggressive style was instrumental in keeping Salem at bay. Strileckis has mastered the art of knowing when to come out to challenge shooters and cut down angles and when to stay inside, and her judgment was flawless Wednesday.?She has been fantastic,” said Classical coach Justina Alicudo. “Her game has matured so much.”It looked as if it would be a 0-0 tie as time started dwindling down in the second half. But Classical, whose shooters — once again — shot several balls high enough to go over the net, finally cashed in on one of those chances.Franki Galeazzi did a lot of work, even though that was partly because she couldn?t quite get the handle on a ball that landed at her feet. But she kept it in play long enough for Cuozzo to come flying in from the right side and tap it into an empty corner, with Panneton preoccupied with Galeazzi.?It was great game and both teams played well,” Alicudo said. “But to see that goal go in, that was a nice feeling, knowing we?d have a chance to win this. But you know, sometimes one?s not enough.”It was in this instance, although Galeazzi came within an eyelash of making it 2-0 in extra time. But it was the old bugaboo once again. The ball sailed on her and it bounced off the crossbar and out.?Her shots have not been going in,” Alicudo said. “But they are a beautiful thing to see.”The win moves Classical to 4-1-2, and Alicudo feels it?s time the whispers about her team being lucky ceased.?We worked very hard today,” she said. “I don?t think that?s luck at all. It?s just hard work. We?ve been playing real well.”