In advance of their first head-to-head meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the Jamesville-DeWitt and Christian Brothers Academy girls soccer teams both built win streaks.
The Red Rams, no. 13 in the first state Class A rankings of the season, paid a visit to Mexico last Tuesday afternoon, and an early surge was all that was required to put away the Tigers 2-0.
All game long, J-D’s attack was fairly consistent, taking 16 shots. But it only got on the board with first-half goals from Maddy Devereaux and Caroline Kopp, with Paige Sherling adding an assist. The Rams’ defense made sure Mexico didn’t get closer, holding the Tigers to two shots.
Going to Cortland on Thursday night, the Red Rams switched up the pattern, this time waiting until the second half to get on the board, though beating the Purple Tigers by that same 2-0 margin.
It was 0-0 at halftime, Cortland getting a great effort from goalie Amanda Edwards, who piled up 15 saves. The Rams stayed patient, though, and broke through in the second half on goals by Sherling and Alex Fontana, with Ella Digiovanni adding an assist.
CBA unleashed its attack in last Tuesday’s game against the combined Syracuse city squad, roaring ahead to a big margin early in a 6-1 victory.
Led by Marisa Romeo and Emily Ehle, the Brothers gained a 4-0 edge by halftime. Romeo would finish with a three-goal hat trick and Ehle found the net twice, while Maddie Calkins had the other goal. Olivia Pitonzo, Jasmine Ehrich and Kate Lacasse each had one assist.
As for East Syracuse-Minoa, it continued to have struggles, as personified by last Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat to Homer.
Neither team scored in the first half. The Spartans kept getting frustrated despite multiple opportunities, mostly due to the work of Trojans goalie Nadine Downing, who had 11 saves.
For her part, Kristen Raab had eight saves, but Homer got to her in the second half as Haley Day and Lucy Connery both notched goals, Lisa Sharpe and Olivia Porter earning the assists.
When CBA took its own shot at Mexico Thursday night at Alibrandi Stadium, it met the same headaches as J-D faced earlier in the week, but also won, taming the Tigers 3-1.
With a 1-0 halftime lead, the Brothers maintained control even as Mexico’s defense ganged up to contain Romeo. Ehrich, Pitonzo and Sydney Dobbins each scored, with Hailey Dobbins and Chloe Germain earning assists.
