What was missing from the West Genesee girls lacrosse team’s list of accomplishments this season was a genuine come-from-behind effort.
But the state Class A no. 3-ranked Wildcats took care of that item Thursday night at Bragman Stadium, rallying from a three-goal deficit to upend state no. 8-ranked Cicero-North Syracuse 9-5.
Junior attacker Mackenzie Baker, whose two goals and four assists paced WG’s offense, said the win felt better because of the opposition and the manner in which it was attained.
“Coming back against a great team like C-NS is definitely a great feeling,” said Baker.
When these same teams had met April 19 at Mike Messere Field, the Wildcats had also prevailed in a 9-5 decision, but in that game the Wildcats led most of the way and never felt anything close to the stress the rematch would provide.
With Samantha Tortora winning most of the early draws, C-NS got possession and, more importantly, dictated a slower tempo that included long possessions and patient passing.
Though Nicky Delany netted the game’s first goal at the 5:28 mark, it would take nearly 14 minutes for WG to convert again, during which time the Northstars saw Bryar Cummings, Megan Tryniski, Meghan Duffy and Mallory Eymer each found the net.
Baker said that, while there was concern, her team didn’t panic.
“We couldn’t hang our heads,” she said. “We had to work our butts off to get the ball back.”
Just before halftime, things turned around. Still trailing by three, the Wildcats’ Abby Collins put in a rebound goal and then had Baker charge in and convert in the last 90 seconds before the break, which made it 5-4.
That momentum carried over into the second half, when every part of the Wildcats’ game clicked.
To begin with, Delany and Lexie Meager, with help from defender Ally Trice, started winning the draws on a regular basis. Trice then joined fellow defenders Caroline McGuigan, Emma Parry and Stephanie Scaia in forcing C-NS into a series of turnovers, and when that didn’t work, goalie Mackenzie Kittell made a series of clutch saves, eventually finishing the night with eight stops.
Pitching a shutout on one end, WG tied it when Baker fed Madisyn Kittell for a goal. Then, with 14:55 left, Collins hit her second goal that gave the Wildcats the lead for good.
Far from done, Baker made a charge from the right side that netted her second goal with 8:39 to play that doubled WG’s margin and assisted on Meager’s tally three minutes later before Kyre Bednarski converted with 4:05 left.
The lead-up to the C-NS rematch involved back-to-back games early in the week, made necessary by the postponement of WG’s trip to the Rochester area to face Victor (Section V) due to bad weather on April 9.
That game got made up last Monday afternoon, and the Wildcats rolled past the Blue Devils 16-6, playing a steady first half to gain a 6-2 lead but then wearing Victor down on both ends with its relentless pressure.
Eleven different players scored a goal for WG as Baker and Meager led with three goals apiece, Baker adding two assists. Madisynn Kittell had two goals and two assists, with Delany also scoring twice. Bednarski, Emily Salanger and Julia Williams each had one goal and one assist as Collins, Lauren Ferris, Teresa Petrus and Cecilia Procopio also found the net.
A day later, WG rolled past Auburn 20-3, giving its entire lineup a chance to seem some action in a game where the margin was 13-2 by halftime and the Wildcats could afford to let key players get some rest.
Bednarski still had five assists, though, and Meager got two goals and three assists, with Salanger also picking up three assists. Petrus scored three times for a hat trick, with Baker, Kittell, Catherine Farrell and Jane Howes each matching Meager’s two-goal output. Williams had a goal and two assists as Ferris, Cathryn Erhard, Kyra Kick and Adrianna Nojaim took turns getting goals of their own.
Just three games remain in the regular season for WG, who take a 12-1 mark to next Tuesday’s game at Liverpool before hosting Baldwinsville next Thursday and taking on South Jefferson May 17.
