Forest Hills Girls Soccer Edges Flushing In Double Overtime

It took two overtimes, but 13-seeded Forest Hills High School girls soccer team put away 20-seeded Flushing High on a golden goal by Martina Gamboa for a thrilling 3-2 first round playoff victory.

Gamboa put the home squad ahead early in the tilt, but the Red Devils tied the score at 1-1 midway through the first half. Minutes later, freshman Jackie Brito found the back of the net for a 2-1 Rangers' lead.

Not to be outdone, Flushing knotted the game again minutes before the first half ended.

After the first half barrage, the second half went scoreless, forcing overtime.

After one overtime period couldn't settle the score, a mad scramble in front of Flushing's net in sudden death resulted in Gamboa's game winner.

After last season's heartbreaking first round loss to Bard High School, the Rangers were out for a measure of catharsis.

"All I wanted to do is get to the playoffs, then make it past this game," captain Julia Svitsky said of the win. "I kept having nightmares about this game, but it feels great to win."

Gamboa led with two goals in the victory, and her overall stellar play helped Forest Hills control the tempo of the contest during crunch time. She also had something to prove.

"Last year, for personal reasons, I couldn't attend the playoff game, and it broke my heart when I heard we had lost," Gamboa said. "All I could think about this whole season is we have to get to the playoffs and we have to win. And then when we finally got to this game, I had to prove myself, I had to help this team win."

The Rangers never relented, pressing and keeping the ball in the zone for most of the overtime periods, allowing them the opportunity to nail down the victory.

"This team never quits; they worked hard," coach Robert Sprance said of his girls' unwavering drive. "Our midfield took control of the game. We kept them in their zone, and we finally shot the ball, and it went in … as simple as that. I've been telling them all game to shoot."

The Rangers will take on Francis Lewis on the road, Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

Teams..............H1..........H2........1OT…2OT……F

Forest Hills......2............ 0........….0……..1……...3

Flushing...........2.............0........…0…....0……...2