Having finished its break from the CNY Counties League, the Baldwinsville field hockey team was eager to find out if its season-long shutout streak could continue.
One of the season’s biggest games would take place Friday night, when the Bees went east to play defending Class A champion Rome Free Academy — the same side it ripped 4-0 on its home grass in the Sept. 7 season opener.
But in this rematch on the turf at RFA Stadium, the Black Knights, unbeaten in six games (4-0-2) since the B’ville loss, gave the visitors a humbling experience from start to finish, not letting up until it had handed the Bees a 7-1 defeat.
That shutout streak ended when RFA scored early in the first half, and it tacked on another goal to counter Lindsay Varga’s tally and take a 2-1 lead into halftime.
The onslaught really commenced in the second half. Time and again, the Black Knights zoomed right past the Bees’ defense and put in five unanswered goals. Kaysie Gregory and Delaney Hughes each had two goals and one assist, while Stacie Skidmore and Meghan McCormick picked up one goal and one assist. Allyson Eggan scored, too.
Before all this, Bees pieced together a constant attack throughout the hour of play in last Tuesday’s game against East Syracuse-Minoa, taking 53 shots in a 5-0 win over the Spartans.
ESM, in the midst of its first varsity campaign in 21 years, saw goalies Nicole Nieset (25 saves) and Danielle Hobb (23 saves) have superb efforts to keep its within reason.
Still, Varga and Paige Corso each put in a pair of goals, while Natalie Lynch also converted. Sierra Earle got credited for an assist.
B’ville was 7-1 following the RFA defeat, and could rebound against last-place Watertown Monday before a Wednesday-night trip to Bragman Stadium to face Cicero-North Syracuse.