Situated at the no. 3 spot in the state Class AA rankings, the Baldwinsville girls soccer team primed itself for, arguably, its biggest test of the regular season.
The Bees paid a visit to Liverpool Saturday night, a rematch of the Sept. 13 game where the two sides played to a 0-0 draw in warm, sunny conditions on the grass at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium.
This time, though, it was cold and wet, and on the artificial turf of LHS Stadium, conditions similar to what either side might face when the playoffs roll around a month from now.
Perhaps that, combined with the fact that B’ville was playing for the third time in four days, could explain a second half where the Bees squandered a two-goal advantage as Liverpool, led by Julia Heberger, rallied to prevail 3-2.
It didn’t take long for B’ville to assure that this would not be another scoreless encounter. Catching Liverpool in a defensive mode, Jackie Firenze and Cassidy Bruen both would put shots past Warrior goalie Tori Corsaro, and the Bees took a 2-0 lead to the break.
Knowing it had to switch tactics to turn things around, Liverpool started to attack, and finally solved the puzzle of the Bees’ defense. Heberger would notch one goal and also earn an assist on Ore Akinpelu’s tally, forcing a 2-2 tie. Then Heberger returned to put the game-winner past B’ville goalie Stephanie Lynch.
As mentioned, this was the third time B’ville had played in a 72-hour span, even if the first two of those games were one-sided affairs.
In last Wednesday’s game against Oswego, the Bees punished the Buccaneers 7-0, scoring four times in the first half as its attack spread out among several contributors.
Only Angelica Romeu scored twice, the junior adding an assist as Emma Firenze had a goal and two assists. Lily VanDeValk had one goal and one assists, with Bruen, Angelica Tomasello and Jade Gentile also putting in goals.
Then B’ville met the combined Syracuse city entry and won another 7-0 decision. Gentile and Emma Firenze both found the net twice, doing most of the damage in a five-goal first half, as Romeu, Jackie Firenze and Maggie Monnat produced one goal apiece.
The Liverpool blemish could prove temporary, as B’ville (9-1), starting with Friday’s game against Utica Proctor, should be heavily favored in every remaining regular-season contest.
