In a wild and uneven week, the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse girls soccer teams both had to endure September warmth, summer-like heat and a late-autumn chill.
And though neither side got to play a game until it got cold and wet on Friday, they both took advantage of their opportunities to earn big early-season wins.
For the Warriors, that meant hosting West Genesee Friday night at LHS Stadium, and with its most potent player, Ore Akinpelu, back on form, Liverpool beat the Wildcats 3-1.
To help build a 2-1 halftime edge, the Warriors turned to Akinpelu, who used her sprinter’s speed to soar past WG defenders and her deft touch to find the net.
By the time it was done, Akinpelu had put in her first two goals of the season, while Alexis Kline also found the net. Leanne Barnard and Julia Heberger each had one assist. Melissa Fumano accounted for WG’s lone goal in the first half.
As for C-NS, whose own game with West Genesee got postponed on Wednesday by heat and thunderstorms, it hosted Fayetteville-Manlius at Archie Hall Stadium and, with a fine all-around effort, defeated the Hornets by that same 3-1 margin.
Despite a goal from Syracuse University-bound Alexis Muraco in the first half, F-M (who had beaten Liverpool 1-0 on Sept. 3) still fell behind, 2-1, as Hanna Haven led C-NS’s charge.
Then the Northstars’ defense took over, blanking the Hornets in the last 40 minutes, and getting six saves from Alyssa Jim. An insurance goal doubled the margin as Haven would score twice, with Reid Garner earning the other goal. Sam Foley had two assists and Marissa Rio contributed an assist, too.
This lead C-NS to its toughest stretch of back-to-back road games, starting Wednesday with a visit to Baldwinsville and continuing Saturday afternoon as it goes to Fayetteville-Manlius. Liverpool, by contrast, does not play until Thursday, at Central Square, before a non-league game at Whitesboro on Saturday.
