10-17-08 SACRED HEART 4-0 W

Jennifer Meier scores on a penalty kick against Sacred Heart.

BY JASON MOLINET

Jennifer Meier stands all of 5 feet. When she’s running wild on the soccer field, sometimes the only glimpse of her you’ll see in the midst of a scrum is her long blond shock of hair waving like a flag.

But Meier, as she has so many other times this season for the St. Anthony’s girls soccer team, plays bigger than anyone else on the field. The Friars needed a total effort and Meier delivered a command performance, scoring three goals to power the host Friars past Sacred Heart Academy, 4-0, on Friday night in a battle for first place in the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA.

With under-17 National Team player and teammate Rachel Nuzzelese sidelined with a hamstring injury, Meier provided the offense. The junior forward from Sayville scored her first career hat trick and helped the Friars (13-4-2 overall, 12-1-2 CHSAA) earn the top seed in the playoffs.

“It was senior day,’’ Meier said. “We wanted it so much. It was a night game and we were up for it.’’

She got things started with 15 minutes left in the first half, taking a pass from junior Kate Greer, beating her defender down the right side and firing far corner for a 1-0 edge.

Meier was dragged down just outside the box minutes later. She beat the Sacred Heart keeper to the left on a penalty shot that gave St. Anthony’s a 2-0 lead with 8:54 left.

Cassie Muzik, a junior midfielder from Massapequa, made it 3-0 with 12:46 left in the game. She placed a picture-perfect ball between a defender riding her hip and the fast-charging keeper.

Meier added her third goal — 15th of the year — to finish off scoring with 3:48 left.

“She’s been our leading scorer,” said Friars longtime coach Dave Prutting.

It’s been an imperfect season for a program accustomed to greatness. After all, last fall’s version of the Friars finished undefeated and ranked second nationally.

Injuries to some key personnel have forced Prutting to juggle his lineup and infuse some youth. Yet the Friars are still on pace to win the state CHSAA title for the 18th time in 21 years.

The Friars went a long way toward reclaiming their place at the top Friday night at Cy Donnelly Field. The last time they faced rival Sacred Heart, the teams played to a 2-2 tie. The Spartans (12-1-2) came into South Huntington with a one-game lead in the standings and an opportunity to lock up the top seed.

Instead, St. Anthony’s knocked Sacred Heart from its perch and took the top seed for itself.

The platoon in the net helped. Senior Shannon Cosgrove played the entire first half and senior Caroline Bond spelled her in the second. They combined for five saves and the shutout.

Now St. Anthony’s has 12 days before the semifinals Oct. 29. That’s a lot of time to get healthy and keep getting better as a group. Nuzzelese might even return. If that happens, St. Anthony’s might be an even tougher team to knock off when it matters most.