After their overtime battle on Sept. 16 at Bragman Stadium, the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey teams both would take blemishes in the following week’s action, but also recover with important victories.
In the Warriors’ case, a five-game win streak was halted last Monday night at LHS Stadium against CNY Counties League co-leader Fayetteville-Manlius, who rallied late in regulation and managed to pull out a 2-2 draw.
Both teams entered the game with 2-0 league records, and it looked for a while like Liverpool would get sole possession of first place.
Ggoals by Claire Gaynor and Kelly Bergamo, with an assist credited to Emily Popp, created a 2-1 halftime lead, but for the rest of the game F-M’s stood tall, Caroline Baril working her total to 11 saves.
This gave F-M time to pull even in the latter stages and, in the seven-on-seven OT period, somehow keep the Warriors out of the net. Sophie Craig and Reilly Baker had F-M’s goals, with Megan Josephson contributing an assist to overcome five saves from Katie Yudin.
As this went on, C-NS was at home, meeting Cazenovia, winners of nine consecutive Section III titles, and intent on getting to double digits as the Lakers beat the Northstars 2-0.
After a 6-0 start where it outscored its foes a combined 37-1, Cazenovia had lost twice, by identical 2-1 margins, to Camden and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in the Blue Devils’ annual tournament the previous weekend.
Mad at this, the Lakers attacked from the outset and forced C-NS into a defensive mode. Only the work of Julia Lantry, who made 10 saves, kept it within range, but a single goal in each half proved enough for Cazenovia as sophomore Zoe Shephard, a gold-medal winner at this summer’s AAU Junior Olympics, netted both of those goals.
Two days later, C-NS found itself at Baldwinsville, and in a game it needed to build some confidence, fought its way to a 2-1 victory over the Bees.
Though not as accustomed to playing games on a natural surface, C-NS netted the only goal of the first half, and that made the difference.
Shylea Dukat would score for B’ville in the second half, assisted by Amanda Strenk, but the Northstars converted, too, and held on down the stretch. Taylor Lessard and Cara Binaxas had the goals for C-NS, both of them unassisted. Lantry recorded four saves.
Liverpool didn’t play again until Saturday afternoon, when it turned back Central Valley Academy 3-1. Caroline Gardner’s goal helped the visiting Thunder forge a 1-1 halftime tie before the Warriors’ pressure led to a pair of decisive second-half tallies.
Bergamo, with a pair of assists, anchored the effort, which included goals from Gaynor, Lexi Penge and Emily Popp. Gaynor also had an assist, with Yudin again earning five saves.
After visiting Port Byron on Monday, the Warriors go to Baldwinsville Wednesday and play at Rome Free Academy on Saturday prior to its own game with Cazenovia next Monday at LHS Stadium.
At 2-4 overall, C-NS would get tested this week with three games in five days, with F-M in the middle after East Syracuse Minoa and before a trip to Weedsport.
