Cohoes’ Andraya Muscatello ‘21 Dominates While Preparing for SUNY Delhi

Currently holding the #1 spot in the Colonial Council for saves and save percentage, Andraya Muscatello gave me a little insight on what it’s like to have her final season of soccer back on after a rocky start to her senior year.

Muscatello currently has 109 saves which put her at a 92% save percentage. “I was over the moon when we were told we were going to be able to play”, Muscatello says. “It was hard to get back into it but once I made a few saves I regained my confidence and proved to myself I was still a good player”. Muscatello says she still has a few skills to work on before playing at that next level, but she’s excited to be back in action.

Beginning around age 4, Muscatello started with playing Cohoes Recreational Soccer as a goalie with the kindergarteners. She liked this position, and as you can tell she stuck with it for her career. “The rush of going at the ball and a moving person, wondering if they’re gonna stop or not, it’s overwhelming to feel. But that save… nothing beats that feeling”, Muscatello said. She then played for Cohoes Travel and Capital United where her skills developed. 

Muscatello was in between SUNY Canton and SUNY Delhi when her college search began. Muscatello told me, “I really wasn’t expecting to go to Delhi, I just looked at their Veterinary Science program and was excited to work with bigger animals. This is one of my hopes as a Veterinarian.” Muscatello emphasized how her academic career will always top her athletic, but being able to play soccer at the next level is something she will always be grateful for.

I asked Muscatello what it was like to be named Second-Team All-Star in the Colonial Council in 2019, which was the last time she got to play during a normal season. “We got the news of First-Team and Second-Team at our end of the season banquet last year. My goal was to be on either team, but being second was still an amazing moment for me”, Muscatello tells me. “It was really cool to see girls I’ve played with for years also win and be in that moment with me.” She continued on to elaborate on how much this boosted her confidence after a hard season.

Her favorite opponent in Section 2 is actually her sister, Ellerie Hunt. Muscatello gave me some insight into this relationship with her sister, telling me, “She goes to Catholic Central and she’s been on varsity forever. She was so confident to be on the field and was so sure she’d score and then we actually beat CCHS on senior night and she was not happy. I was really happy though.” 

She also tells me her mother is one of her biggest influences and supporters, getting her out of bed for those early games, driving back and forth for forgotten cleats, and keeping her focused on her next accomplishment. “My mom has been a really big inspiration to me, and she’s really my best friend. She’s played the mom, dad, and coach role for me. She told me during COVID-19 that I was better than I thought, and I will be even better if I keep working hard.”

Sectionals this year look a little odd for those who experienced this in the past. Muscatello tells me, “There’s a winner and loser’s circle per se”. I asked which one Cohoes would be in and she wasn’t quite sure. “We haven’t been on a hot streak lately, but if we beat Schalmont in our next game it should be good for us”. There are high hopes for Cohoes, as they are a young team and all have a lot of skill. Only time will tell if these athletes can overcome not only CoVID-19 but their next opponent. 

Keep an eye out for Muscatello and the Tigers as they face the Sabres of Schalmont on April 15th at 4:15pm on the Alumni Field at Cohoes High School.