Nearly 11 months have passed, and the picture in Section III Class AA girls soccer is not that different than it was when Liverpool survived penalty kicks and outlasted Baldwinsville in last fall’s sectional final’
Again, the Warriors and Bees have separated themselves from the rest of the contenders, at least in the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division, and their first regular-season encounter Tuesday night at LHS Stadium again went in Liverpool’s favor.
Here, though, the 2-1 decision did not require anything more than the 80 minutes of regulation to settle things. But it did require the Warriors to play strong, consistent defense and take full advantage of the scoring chances given to them, early and late.
Things were settling in when, 5:39 into the game, Carly Kovarik connected on a special goal. From the point 20 yards in front of the net, Kovarik dribbled to a tough angle on the right, and then struck a right-footed shot that fit inside the top left corner of the net, out of Meghan Wilson’s reach.
Other than that, B’ville did a solid job limiting Liverpool’s touches, and as the half wore on it got most of the possession time, nearly tying it on Simone Neivel’s shot that Megan Merrifield had to dive to stop in the 17th minutes.
Less than six minutes before halftime, the Bees’ pressure led to a tying goal when Neivel’s cross from the left side was headed in by Graisa Madden. And there were other close-up looks, too, but the Warriors kept it 1-1 going into the break.
Much of the second half was a defensive stalemate. Between them, Liverpool’s back line, led by Divya Duraisamy, Gabby Swan, Natalie Tauro and Drew Patterson, kept B’ville’s forwards from getting too close, and Merrifield finished with six saves.
Meanwhile, the Warriors gradually built up its own pressure. And with 11:58 left, Emily Dorr’s free kick fell among several players in front of the net, where Morgan Mitchell flicked it past Wilson, who injured her hand and left the game.
B’ville tried to answer in the homestretch, and had two good chances, from Carolyn Brussel’s free kick that sailed over the net to Katie Pascale’s hard shot from the left that flew inches wide.
Happy as the Warriors were to win this one, it knows that it will have to travel to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium Oct. 14 to meet the Bees again in the regular-season finale – and a third playoff encounter wouldn’t surprise anyone, either.
