In their own unique ways, the Liverpool and Baldwinsville girls soccer teams left Tuesday night’s showdown equally surprised by the 2-2 outcome.
For the Warriors, who were in a defensive mode most of the game, a draw was welcome – but the Bees exited LHS Stadium frustrated that a come-from-behind victory was snatched away in the most unlikely manner.
Each side entered the game with strong records – B’ville at 11-2, Liverpool at 10-2. They were also both in the state Class AA rankings, the Bees sitting at no. 11, six spots ahead of the Warriors, likely to be the top two seeds for the upcoming Section III playoffs.
They also had the recent memory of what took place Sept. 18 at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, an overtime battle that ended 1-0 in B’ville’s favor with Jade Gentile’s goal late in the second extra period.
Liverpool wouldn’t get shut out in the rematch. Less than 11 minutes into the first half, a cross from the right side found Carli Kovarik in the middle, and Kovarik poked a shot past a charging Mackenzie Hanna to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
That it remained 1-0 deep into the second half was a tribute, mostly, to the work done by Liverpool goalkeeper Julia Richey. Having nearly blanked B’ville the first time around with 12 saves, Richey came up with more great stops in the first half on this night, too.
During a large portion of the second half, Liverpool’s defense minimzed B’ville’s close looks, and when Mackenzie Schaffner drilled a shot off the left post into Richey’s hands with 7:40 left in regulation, the Bees’ frustration peaked.
But that didn’t last long. Barely two minutes later, the Bees charged again and Gentile, banged up near the end of the first half, sent a strong shot to the net that Richey could not stop.
So it went to overtime 1-1, and the Bees kept on pushing. Just 3:51 into the first extra period, Carolyn Brussel, with an open look on the left side, lobbed a shot to the top right corner of the net, out of Richey’s reach.
By controlling the flow of play, B’ville looked poised for a season sweep of the Bees. But with 1:13 left in the second OT, a Liverpool cross from the right side was not gathered in by Julia George, allowing Kovarik to sprint in and fire the loose ball into the open net.
