LIVERPOOL – If eighth-grade goalie Olivia Planty did not have the full confidence of her Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey teammates prior to Monday night’s game at Liverpool, she sure has it now.
With a stunning stop on a penalty stroke in the fourth quarter of this latest rivalry chapter at LHS Stadium, Planty gave the Northstars just enough momentum that would lead to a 2-1 victory over the Warriors.
Both teams were off to 4-0 starts. Liverpool had scored 21 goals, but had yet to face a league opponent, while C-NS had high-quality wins over the likes of Pittsford (Section V), but had not played in nearly a week.
That early rust was costly for C-NS. Just 2:45 into the game, the Warriors put on some pressure, and Alexis McGregor, pouncing on a rebound, inched a shot past Planty to put her side up 1-0.
Thanks to effective defense from Emma Esposito, Katia Flavin, Gabby Jondle and Joelle Wike, Liverpool maintained that margin the rest of the half, the Northstars unable to do much with three penalty corners.
Only in transition did C-NS seem effective, something it proved near the midway point of the third quarter when Gabby Wameling streaked into the Liverpool end and sent a high shot past Jenna Hayes.
Even with that, though, the Warriors maintained its energy and drive, nearly had a go-ahead goal only to have it disallowed and then, with 9:28 to play, earned that penalty stroke due to a Northstars foul in the box.
Emily Nestor would take the shot. She aimed it past Planty – but the young goalie stopped it, causing a wild reaction as her teammates congratulated her.
Fired up by this, C-NS again attacked, forced a penalty corner and, with 5:08 to play, Nicole Conklin’s shot found the net, Paige Pangaro getting the assist.
And the Northstars held on, defending a Liverpool penalty corner as time ran out. These rivals will meet again Oct. 4 at Bragman Stadium.
For the Warriors, this continued a stretch of five games in eight days where, winning everywhere except the C-NS battle, it built upon its best start since 2015 and, while doing so, proved it could recover from a draining and emotional defeat.
The Warriors blanked East Syracuse Minoa 4-0 on Wednesday night, those four goals coming from four different players, all in the first half. Cailtlyn Guilfoil scored, as did Mia Berthoff, Sophia Puccia and Jane Razza.
In the first of back-to-back weekend tests, Liverpool visited Holland Patent on Friday and maintained its strong form, pulling out a 1-0 decision over the Golden Knights.
Berthoff’s goal, assisted by Zoe Noyes, would hold up the rest of the way, again with Liverpool’s defense at the forefront as it limited HP to three shots, all stopped by Hayes.
Now it was the makeup of the weather-postponed Sept. 9 game against Baldwinsville on Saturday afternoon, and it proved another 2-1 decision, only this time going in Liverpool’s favor.
Both teams scored in the first quarter, Berthoff for the Warriors and Ellie Holtman for the Bees. And it remained 1-1 until the third, when Berthoff returned to net another goal, having received assists from Guilfoil and McGregor.
Through the homestretch, B’ville never got many chances, Liverpool holding them to just three total shots as it improved to 7-1, already reaching the midway point of its regular-season slate.
C-NS’s only other game of the week was against Little Falls on Friday – and this wasn’t easy, either, the Northstars turning back an upset bid from the Mounties 3-2.
In both the first and third quarters, Little Falls was able to answer Northstars goals, Avery McLaughlin scoring one and assisting on Jayden Regan’s tally.
This, along with 13 saves from Olivia Brand, kept things tight, but like it did with Liverpool, C-NS was able to get the go-ahead goal in the final period and hang on, Wameling scoring once and earning assists on tallies by Conklin and Gabby Garuccio. Addie Esce added an assist.
