Nothing in the lead-up to last Wednesday’s local girls soccer showdown had indicated that Skaneatles was about to beat Marcellus.
The Mustangs, despite some youthful inconsistency at times, had started 7-1 and worked its way to the front of the OHSL Liberty division again. Meanwhile, the Lakers were just 2-4 in league play and coming off a 4-1 loss to Manlius-Pebble Hill the day before.
So it surprised just about everyone that Skaneateles, instead of showing fatigue on a warm and sunny afternoon, took it right to its neighbors and rivals early, then made all the necessary plays down the stretch to preserve a 1-0 victory over Marcellus.
This was the second start for Mustang goalie Sophie Jackson in place of the injured Megan Tock, and she had to make a save 20 seconds into the game on a Carly Davis shot.
Spurred on by the sight of Marcellus, the Lakers kept attacking, using long runs with real chances to convert. And 9:34 into the game, Destin VanTyle’s long shot from the right slipped out of Jackson’s hands as Amanda Gray, right on the spot, knocked the loose ball into the net.
For the rest of the first half, the two sides played on even and physical terms, just as the Lakers wanted, so that one-goal margin held up.
Each time Marcellus wanted to push, Skaneateles defenders Alicia Frame, Emily Devins, Brooke McNeilly, Jackie Stucker and Maddy Morrissey made the stops. Morrissey twice left the game due to injury, but returned each time.
And when it was needed, goalkeeper Erica Tardiff made the stops — eight saves in all. She got lucky a couple of times when two Marcellus shots — one late in the first half by Kelsey Cavaretta, the other early in the second half from Alyssa Filtch — rammed off the crossbar.
However, in the 63rd minute, it was different. Cavaretta charged up the middle with the ball toward the net and appeared to have a game-tying goal. She shot — and Tardiff, somehow, made a brilliant kick save. Marcellus would not get as close again to getting even.
What made this win more remarkable for the Lakers was the 4-1 defeat to MPH that preceded it, a rough affair where the Trojans had one particular standout.
Kelley Dew led the Trojans, achieving a three-goal hat trick and scoring in each half to keep the Lakers from catching up. Davis gave Skaneateles its lone goal in the second half. Tardiff finished with nine saves.
Two days earlier, the Mustangs had gone to Solvay’s Earl Hadley Stadium and needed a big second-half push to beat the Bearcats 3-1.
Neither side broke through in the first half, the Mustangs controlling most of the possession time but unable to get one past Courtney Woods, the Solvay goalie who would finish with 12 saves.
Just 2:31 into the second half, Kate Gosson put Marcellus in front with a goal assisted by Jenna Sniffen, but the Bearcats answered 11 minutes later when Mariesa Carpenter converted, with an assist to Liz Martinez.
Not panicking, Marcellus maintained its pressure, ultimately producing 21 shots. With 13:24 left, Kathryn Busa scored off a feed from Leea Sinay to put the Mustangs ahead for good, and Gosson tacked on an insurance goal with 1:35 to play. Splitting time in the net, Tock and Jackson had six total saves.
