CENTRAL NEW YORK – Going into October, the Cazenovia girls soccer team continues to pick up confidence from the way it has played in close, tense situations throughout the early part of the season.
Four different times, the Lakers have gone beyond 80 minutes of regulation and have not lost, and on three occasions have prevailed with “golden goals” during those overtime periods.
Having already beaten Cortland and Christian Brothers Academy (and tied defending sectional champion Skaneateles), Cazenovia again claimed an overtime victory last Monday when it edged Mexico 3-2.
Each side scored once in the first half and again in the second half, with the Lakers seeing Julia Reff and Claire Marris convert as Allie Poissant and Grace O’Gorman find the net for the Tigers.
Placed into the familiar pressure setting of OT, Cazenovia again pulled through as Julia Knapp, who had just one goal all season amid a string of injuries, found the right spot and blasted a shot past Mexico goalie Gina Cutuli.
Now Cazenovia went to Homer on Thursday night, the first of back-to-back games, and striking early, it managed to match what the Trojans produced later to claim another close match 2-1.
Reff put the Lakers in front 1-0 in the first half. Then Katie Rajkowski took her turn to make it 2-0 in the second half, enough of a cushion as Jane Gugerty scored late for Homer, but the Lakers held on with Skye Stanford recording seven saves.
Meeting Cincinnatus Friday at the Sean Googin Sports Complex, Cazenovia found out just how tough the unbeaten (9-0), state Class D no. 5-ranked Lioins are in the course of a 4-1 defeat.
Cincinnatus moved in front 1-0 by halftime. Despite Reff’s second-half goal, the Lions got away led by Kyla Sustad and Cassia Schuyler, both of whom scored twice to overcome Stanford’s seven saves.
As for Chittenango, who was 2-5-1 midway through its regular season, it got back in the win column last Monday by defeating Syracuse City 3-1.
Showing nice offensive balance, the Bears got goals from Cara Kielbasa, Jordan Wagner and Danielle Ramie,with Abby Scheidelman adding an assist.
Chittenango then had its own game with Homer a night later, and made it back-to-back wins by claiming a tough 1-0 decision over the Trojans.
Playing through the rain, Chittenango took 13 shots and one of them found the net, that single goal backed up by a defense that didn’t let Homer respond.
To reach the .500 mark, the Bears needed to win two of three this week against a tough slate that included Westhill, Hannibal and Mexico in a four-day span.
