Chloe Benik starts the scoring in Garden City girls soccer's win over Calhoun
Chloe Benik of Garden City keeps the ball in play during a Nassau girls soccer game at Calhoun on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. Credit: David Meisenholder
The players and coaches on the Garden City girls soccer team knew it was just a matter of time. The team was generating chances, but in a sport like soccer, chances don’t always lead to results. But once Chloe Benik broke through for Garden City’s first goal of the game, everything changed.
“When we scored that goal, we knew we had the game,” Benik said. “We knew once we’d score one goal, we’d score a bunch.”
Benik was correct.
Garden City went on to defeat Calhoun, 3-0, in Nassau Conference AAA/AA-I girls soccer action at Merrick Avenue Middle School on Monday to continue its undefeated season. Benik scored with 5:43 left in the first half and the Trojans scored their ensuing two goals over the final 15 minutes of the contest.
“I definitely think momentum was a big part of it,” senior midfielder Kathryn Monaco said. “Once Chloe scored that first goal, then we got the momentum started. We missed so many shots, so then once you make one, they start falling.”
Benik scored off a through ball from Madeleine Patrickakos to open the scoring. LeeLee Gaffney scored the Trojans’ second goal off a rebound and a scramble in front of the net with 14:49 left in the second half and Sadie Gordon scored the final goal off an assist from Anna Olcott with 1:49 left.
“We just wanted to stay true to our style which is to move the ball, try to move up as a group and I think the girls did a decent job of that,” coach Scott McAuley said. “We generated a lot of opportunities. Finishing was definitely a challenge for us today (early).”
Marisa Patrissi made seven saves behind a strong defense that includes Victoria Ottomanelli, Briana Ciccone, Abby Wheeler and Deanna Prisco.
Garden City improved to 6-0-1, including 4-0 in the conference. Calhoun falls to 0-4-2, including 0-3-1 in Nassau’s top conference.
The Trojans have made the county finals in back-to-back seasons but they are chasing their first county crown since 2016. Garden City won back-to-back Long Island Class A championships in 2015 and 2016.
“Garden City girls soccer hasn’t won anything since 2016, so every year, the past three years especially, we’ve gotten closer and closer to getting that and we don’t want to stop at a county championship,” Monaco said. “We want to go all the way to states.”
“Nobody wants to feel the way we did last year and the year before,” Benik said, “so we are going to put the work in and fight this year.”