With one game, and one particular result, the upcoming Section III Class A field hockey playoffs just got a lot more interesting.
Cicero-North Syracuse put an end to archrival Liverpool’s 15-game unbeaten streak Wednesday night at Bragman Stadium as Sammy Cirillo’s goal late in regulation produced a 2-1 victory over the Warriors.
On its way to a 14-0-1 start, Liverpool had rarely been pushed. But CNS had done so in their first meeting Sept. 18 at Coyne Field, forcing the Warriors to rally and win 3-2 in overtime.
Fierce as their battles might be on the field, the two foes worked together in recent weeks to raise nearly $12,000 for the American Cancer Society, and the check was presented to the ACS in pregame ceremonies.
And in honor of cancer awareness, they would both wear pink on this night – CNS a pink jersey with white numbers, Liverpool a white jersey with pink numbers.
Right from the start, the Northstars proved to be the agressor, spending a majority of the game’s first 15 minutes in Liverpool’s end, getting a series of penalty corners. While nothing went in, the Northstars indicated how difficult this would be.
Still, Liverpool made a solid resistance, then made its own charge. Just 2:41 before halftime, off the scramble of a penalty corner, Madison Buckley poked the ball through a crowd into the net, and the Warriors carried that 1-0 lead to the break.
The start of the second half reflected the first, with CNS again on the attack, trying to create something. Sure enough, 6:20 into the half, Alaina Stojkovski took a hard shot from the point, 20 yards out, that flew through the defense and past Liverpool goalie Tess Tracy, creating a 1-1 tie.
Gradually, the Warriors appeared to take control, getting a majority of the chances in the second half. Every time, though, CNS defenders Christine Benn, Cassie Franklin and Ciera Lang turned away chances, not getting rattled, even when Kayla DeAngelis made a long run to the net. Goalie Meghan Wiacek pitched a second-half shutout.
As regulation time wound down, CNS made a few runs, testing things out. Then, with 2:11 left, one big shot decided everything.
Cirillo, not known as one of the Northstars’ biggest offensive threats, had an open look 20 yards from the net on the right side. She slapped a hard, accurate shot that slipped past Tracy for what proved to be the game-winner.
The win improved CNS’s record to 8-5, with the Class A playoffs looming next week – and, maybe, a third CNS-Liverpool game to decide everything.
