By JOHN NASH

johnnash@thestamfordtimes.com

STAMFORD — When his team needs a lift, Stamford FC U-16 girls coach Tony Crocco knows where to look.

And, more often than not, Rebecca Hasak is there to provide it.

The victory came just two weeks after Stamford was drubbed, 3-1, by this very same Easton club during a regular season meeting

Stamford will face Academica AFC Pride, a 5-0 winner over Gunners CFC, in the quarterfinals. The time and site is still be determined.

"It means a lot for us to move through," said Crocco, whose team was a finalist in last spring's Connecticut Cup, but moved up to the premier level of play this spring and, hence, the State Cup tournament. "It's a big step for us and it's a big step for Stamford soccer."

And it was the George-to-Hasak tally that allowed the team to take the big step.

While Easton controlled much of the early play, the visiting team had only one sub — something the free-subbing Stamford squad started taking advantage of late in the first half.

Crocco said he switched up his offense with a 4-4-2 set, giving his team an extra forward.

That move generated more offense as forward Penny Cote got off a couple of scoring chances, but the half ended at nil.

Less than 20 minutes into the second half, Stamford FC took advantage of Easton's biggest defensive breakdown.

With the ball on the left side of the field, George headed for a hole in the center of the field before dumping the ball off to Hasak on the right side line.

"I took it to the hole to attract the defenders and Becca just had room to shoot," said George.

Hasak, seeing George break toward the far post, gained control of the ball before lofting a high-arcing shot from nearly 25 yards out — a floater that cleared the head of the Easton goalkeeper and fell into the net for a 1-0 Stamford lead.

"I was aiming back post because I knew the girls would follow it as if it was a cross, but it just went in," said Hasak, who scored the team's first goal during last year's Connecticut Cup tournament, as well.

"It was a brilliant shot," said Crocco. "When she shot the ball, I knew it was going in. She's a captain and she always comes through for us."

The rest was up to Stamford FC's defense, as well Bitetto who made four saves — and got a huge lift from the cross bar behind her — to earn the shutout.

Bitetto was aided by the play of fullbacks Caroline Gargiulo, Moran Ilaw, Holly Mantel, Michele Rojas, and Dani Schinella.

"I think losing to them may have been a good thing because it made us work harder to show that it's not easy to beat us on our home field," said George.

Now the Stamford FC girls will take to the road.