It has taken 205 games, over 5 ½ years, 26 players, 4 coaches, 4 trainers and strangely enough 13 tournaments for the Cyclones to win their first tournament. That’s what happened this Friday night. At approximately 9:44 PM the whistle blew to end the 5th and final game for the Cyclones at the 2011 Andy Desperito Tournament in Bellport. The Cyclones exited the gym with a 4-0 win, their 4th straight win to clinch first place.
After a 2-2 tie to open up the evening the Cyclones went on to dominate the rest of the event outscoring their opponents 16 to 2 in the final 4 games.
The evening was a showcase for Amanda. Amanda, playing in her last event as a Cyclone had scored the lone 2 goals in the 1st game and would go on to leave her stamp on the event.
Following the 2-2 tie with Mattituck the Cyclones faced a familiar old foe in the Plainedge Magic. The Cyclones had not beaten the Magic since October of 2005, but this night was different. Amanda scored 3 times, Jordan scored once and Marissa finished a great individual effort by Rachel to lead POB to a resounding 5-1 win. The Cyclones continued to roll in Game 3 vs the Bellport Phantoms. Amanda had 2 more goals, while Dana and Jordan added the other 2. Meanwhile Diana, who was by far the best keeper in the tournament, recorded her 1st shutout of the night in a 4-0 win.
Game 4 was the most physical game of the night as the Bellport Blaze targeted Amanda, the Cyclones main threat. But the Blaze would learn what so many teams who have faced the Cyclones in the past year have learned, that Amanda not only wouldn’t be intimidated, but could give back more than she would get. The game was scoreless for the 1st 6 minutes, but in the final 8 minutes the Cyclones would get 2 more goals from Amanda and another one from both Jordan and Dana cruising to a 4-1 win.
As the whistle was about to blow to begin the Cyclones final game of the tournament Amanda was reminded from the sideline that this was her final game as a Cyclone. Amanda smiled, waved and went on to score once in the 1st minute and 2 more times in the next 2 minutes to lead the Cyclones to an insurmountable 3-0 lead. Ravid’s bomb from the defensive end and Diana’s great goal keeping iced the tournament clinching 4-0 win.
Amanda’s goal scoring and Diana’s Goaltending were an obvious advantage but this was truly more than that. Every Cyclone in attendance played well. Ravid was outstanding on defense while Dana and Jordan chipped in 5 goals combined. Ariel, Deniz, Danielle, Jordan, Marissa & Rachel all played an excellent midfield, helping limit the opposition to 4 goals all night.
Due to the tournament rules the Cyclone roster was limited to 10 players, but this first 1st place finish belongs to all members of the Cyclone family, not just the 10 players in attendance. This victory also belongs to current Cyclones Kiera, Anna N, Lisa, Jenna, Alexa and Anna L. It belongs to Coach Rich who could not be there and Coach Lon.
The current Cyclones would also like to share this victory with former Cyclones Kathleen, Olivia, Elena, Sevinc, Kristen, Maureen, Jamie, Lisa S, Sabrina and both Emily’s!
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