Carley Mullins' second goal lifts Islip to OT win over Bayport-Blue Point in Suffolk girls soccer playoffs
Islip midfielder Carley Mullins (3rd from left) reacts after scoring the game winner in overtime against Bayport-Blue Point, in a Suffolk Class A playoff game on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 at Bayport-Blue Point. Credit: George A Faella
Islip senior center defender Carley Mullins’ career has not been defined by goals, but she was ready for the task Tuesday afternoon.
Mullins already had one goal under her belt as No. 5 Islip was battling with No. 4 Bayport-Blue Point in the first overtime of the Suffolk Class A quarterfinals. With about five minutes remaining in the frame, her number would be called upon again.
Emma Bowe’s corner kick trickled through defenders to Mullins, who was left alone in front of the net. Mullins beat Bayport-Blue Point goalie Alex Kaler with a point-blank rocket with 5:09 left in the first overtime.
“It’s crazy,” Mullins said. “I’m kind of speechless. I don’t score so, I’m usually a defender and – I don’t know – I’m genuinely speechless.”
Mullins’ goal lifted Islip (14-0-3) to the 3-2 road win Tuesday afternoon, setting up a semifinal matchup against No. 1 Kings Park - which defeated No. 8 Mt. Sinai, 6-1, on Tuesday - on Friday at 4 p.m.
“That’s just how seniors play,” Islip coach Mike Reilly said. “They step up in big moments … I think she just took it upon her shoulders to say, ‘Follow my lead.’”
The Phantoms finished 12-3-1.
Bayport-Blue Point senior Isabella Juliano opened the scoring with 25:29 left in the first half, launching a perfect strike off a 30-yard free kick.
Islip’s Abigail Dieumegard responded with 20:42 left in the half, taking a soft touch with just the perfect amount of backspin to find the back of the net.
Mullins, a Mercer lacrosse commit, scored her first goal to give Islip a 2-1 lead with 8:19 left in the half. Dieumegard took a shot that was met by a spectacular save by Kaler, who made 10 saves, but Mullins was right there for the putback.
“Honestly, I just wanted to be there for my teammates,” Mullins said.
With 10:58 left in regulation, Juliano scored her second goal to force overtime. Islip goalie Peighton McKenna, who made seven saves, challenged the ball, but Juliano found enough room to chip it into an empty net.
“You don’t want to be in that position,” Reilly said. “... But for us, they’re comfortable with [pressure], because they’ve been there before.”
Islip remained unbeaten, hoping there's a special run on the horizon.
“I think it’s because of how tight we are,” Mullins said. “We can yell at each other, but we know that it’s from a good place and we want to drive to be the best.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.