Tara Mahon kicks the ball out to Colleen Metzler. The Garden City Strikers U-12 girls soccer team opened the 2005 fall season by going unbeaten in five games at the American Ref-Fuel tournament. The Strikers finished with a 3-0-2 mark to finish second in the six-team bracket with 11 points.

Playing with just one substitute for three of the games, coach Bill Metzler's Strikers battled hard and played crisp soccer in yielding just one goal in 300 minutes of tournament play. "The girls played very well together and provided many great plays," coach Metzler said. "I was particularly impressed with the ball movement. It looks like it will be a solid season."

Megan Martinelli gets position on a Copiague player. Garden City came out strong in game one on Saturday by blasting the Copiague Stars, 5-1. Copiague was a division champion in Suffolk last spring but the Strikers used their excellent team quickness on the large field to beat the Stars to the ball time and again.

Two of the new Strikers - Kristen Conboy and Liz Stutzmann - combined for all five goals as Garden City scored twice in the first half and three times in the second half. Kimberly Ryan assisted on two of Kristen Conboy's goals. Liz Stutzmann opened the scoring on a penalty kick. Prior to the play, Kathleen Galgano broke in on the Copiague keeper with a strong effort but was tripped hard to the ground. Her right leg bruised from the play, Liz took the penalty kick instead and drilled it inside the left post for a 1-0 lead.

Maggie Comiskey uses her speed to run away from a Rockville Centre player. After two Kristen Conboy goals, Liz Stutzmann nailed a picture-perfect goal, hooking a shot with her left foot into the right corner of the net. The defense, led by the speedy Tara Mahon, who excelled all tournament, and Elizabeth Malhame, Brooke VanValkenburg, Megan Martinelli and Maggie Comiskey kept Copiague at bay until the closing minutes.

Keeper Gabby Zafonte punts it out. Game two was a carbon-copy for the Strikers, a 4-0 win over the Rockville Centre Xtreme. Goalkeeper Gabby Zafonte, who did not yield a goal in 210 minutes between the pipes, scored one of four goals for the Strikers. Colleen Metzler, with a strong effort down the left side, scored once as did Megan Martinelli and Kristen Conboy. Jenna Fuchs and Christina Capetola played very effectively in the offensive zone, Kimberly Ryan was solid in the midfield, and the defense of Tara Mahon, Elizabeth Malhame and Brooke VanValkenburg was outstanding. Maggie Comiskey played in goal in the second half and made two terrific stops to preserve the shutout.

Kristen Conboy is alone against the Copiague keeper. The Strikers finished day one with a 2-0 win over the Syosset Shockers. Despite playing their third game of the day, and down to one substitute, the Strikers gutted out the victory. Liz Stutzmann crushed one high into the net for the first goal in the second half, and then Kathryn Montgomery took a lead pass from Kimberly Ryan and blasted into the net for the insurance goal.

On Sunday, the Strikers engaged the Port Washington Hurricanes and Plainview-Old Bethpage Hot Shots in two defensive battles. Both games ended in a 0-0 tie. Kathryn Montgomery and Gabby Zafonte combined for the shutout. The Strikers thought they scored against Port Washington in the second half when Liz Stutzmann sent a drive that hit the keeper and rolled behind her to the goal line. The players celebrated what they thought was a goal but the referee indicated no goal, and the game ended scoreless.

The Strikers: Jenna Fuchs, Elizabeth Malhame, Tara Mahon and Kimberly Ryan go for the ball. Garden City again had chances in the Plainview-Old Bethpage game, but the Hot Shots proved to be a very tough and talented opponent, and the game ended in a well-fought 0-0 deadlock.

Liz Stutzmann pursues a loose ball.