Sure, it’s early in the proceedings. But once again the Baldwinsville girls soccer team is offering up a daunting combination of explosive goal-scoring ability and a tendency to shut an opponent down.
Going to Fayetteville-Manlius Monday night for its first encounter with the Hornets since last year’s Section III Class AA final, the Bees had every phase of its game in fine form during a 2-0 shutout of the Hornets.
Thanks to the new $1.35 million, privately-funded artificial turf field installed this summer at the high school stadium, F-M no longer exclusively plays home games at the Swan Pond in the Village of Manlius.
However, B’ville is more accustomed to these types of fields, thanks to all the post-season games it has played in recent years.
And it spent the first half showing off that advantage in a series of attacks against a Hornets side also a bit spent from playing its fifth game in 10 days – though it was also B’ville’s third game in four days after its sweep of Mercy and John Jay-East Fishkill in its own Kickoff Classic.
Less than 11 minutes into the contest, Emma Firenze broke free up the middle and, in full stride, took a perfect pass from Lily VanDeValk and slid a low shot past F-M goalie Nina Quigley.
Late in the first half, B’ville earned a free kick. From 40 yards out, Sarah Lindovski launched a strike to the crowded middle in front of the net, where Firenze directed a header into the net.
Now B’ville protected that two-goal lead. Lindovski, along with fellow defenders Emma Jeffrey, Morgan Marshall and Jada Sergeant, broke up most of F-M’s attacks long before they reached the net.
Goalies Maggie Monnat (first half) and Steph Lynch (second half) handled their chances, too, especially when Lynch dove back to make a big stop after getting out of position early in the second half. That proved to be F-M’s best chance.
Back home Thursday night to take on Auburn, B’ville again turned to Firenze to provide the production as it topped the Maroons by the same 2-0 margin that it used to beat F-M.
Once in the first half, and again in the second half, Firenze directed shots past Auburn goalie Rachel Barron, who somehow stopped everything else in a superb effort that included 27 saves. VanDeValk again got credit for an assist.
B’ville makes up the rained-out Sept. 7 game with Liverpool Tuesday night, right before visiting West Genesee Wednesday and playing in a tournament at Rome Free Academy on Saturday and Sunday.
