By Ted Waddell
MILTON — November 9, 2007 — On Election Day 2007, the Livingston Manor girls’ soccer team didn’t have enough votes, er goals, to move past the first round of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) girls’ soccer tournament.
Section XI champion Smithtown Christian High School defeated Manor, 3-0, on Tuesday afternoon in an opening round state tournament game at the Hudson Valley Sports Dome in Milton.
Smithtown (7-8-1) scored twice in the first half. Emily Drzymala scored a goal at 33:26 off an assist from Annette Mims. Christina Casamassina gave the Lady Crusaders a 2-0 lead with a goal at 15:08.
In the second half, Casamassina was back on the attack as she closed out the match’s scoring with a goal at 28:31.
Junior goalkeeper Kara Galinsky made five saves for Smithtown.
Angela Trotti, a sophomore goalie, had 24 saves for the Lady Wildcats.
Smithtown held a 27-5 advantage in shots on goal and a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Manor, which was ranked eighth among Class D teams in the New York State Sportswriters Association poll released this past Sunday, ended its season with a record of 11-9.
“We knew they were going to be fast and that’s something we had to adjust to, their speed and their skill,” Manor Coach Shirlee Davis said.
“We played the best we could under the circumstances,” she added. “They got a couple of early goals in the first half, which is hard to come back from.
While the Lady Wildcats’ season ended with a disappointing loss, Davis focused on the positives.
“It was a good season, and I’m pretty happy for making it this far,” she said.
Tuesday’s match marked the final scholastic soccer contest for six Manor seniors: Valentina Babich, Megan Ellison, Amanda Gorr, Melissa Lair, Kirsten Scott and Jessie Simmons.