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Sports

Lady Cyclones Best Plainedge, 1-0 in Rain-Shortened Game

Torrential downpour stops matchup midway through second half, but enough time elapsed to make it an official win.

Torrential rains, violent lightning and thunder swept across the Dean Skelos Sports Complex during the second half of South Side's girl's soccer match against Plainedge Thursday night, but the downpour came after 65 minutes had already been played, giving the Lady Cyclones a rain-shortened 1-0 victory.

The win gave South Side its second victory in three days.

Before the thunderstorm arrived, the matchup was hotly contested, as perennial Long Island powerhouse South Side showed its usual discipline — ball control and spacing – and Plainedge matched them stride for stride.

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The only difference was South Side's Julie Beyar, who took a loose ball at the top of the box and buried it top center with a perfect strike to give the Lady Cyclones a 1 – 0 lead at 18:03 of the first half.

South Side had multiple scoring chances after that, but Plainedge goalkeeper Erin Palmer made several stellar plays both at the goal line and coming out to defend her territory, thwarting South Side's attacks.

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"She's amazing. Three-year varsity player," said Plainedge assistant coach Mike Paola said. "She's been All-County every year."

The second half began as intensely as the first half ended. Palmer made another huge save with 36:46 to go in the game. At the 26-minute mark, the skies opened up.

As the players from both sides ran to their respective buses to wait it out, parents huddled under nearby shelter while the coaches and officials talked it out.

"We're trying to figure out if the score stands or not," said South Side coach Mike Avellino. "We don't know if we'll have to replay it."

The rain-shortened game gave South Side its second win in a row. The Lady Cyclones play at Lawrence on Monday, Sept. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

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