Neither of the two regular-season games between the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey team this fall ended in regulation.
In fact, there wasn’t even a resolution to last Wednesday night’s clash at LHS Stadium, where the Warriors again surrendered a second-half lead and, on this occasion, were unable to reclaim the advantage, settling for a 1-1 tie with the Northstars.
Not only did Liverpool have to feel wary about C-NS because of the 2-1 overtime battle they waged on Sept. 16 at Bragman Stadium, it also was reeling from its most lopsided defeat of the season.
Two nights earlier, at LHS Stadium, Liverpool got run over by Class C powerhouse Cazenovia in a 5-0 loss. The Warriors were facing a fresh squad as, since beating Whitesboro on Sept. 23, Cazenovia had only played once in the ensuing 11 days, winning 4-1 at Port Byron.
Right from the start, Cazenovia pushed hard, and a series of conversions led to a 3-0 halftime lead. Then it added two more goals in the second half, all the while allowing Liverpool some chances, but swallowing them up as Lakers goalies Maria Groetz and Lizzy Shephard made seven saves between them.
Bella Wheeler anchored the Cazenovia attack, picking up three assists to go with her lone goal, Janie Kempf scored twice, while Morgan Giordano and Mikaylee Whalen also netted goals and Zoe Shephard added an assist, also providing great defense on the other end.
Between them, Liverpool goalies Katie Yudin and Brittany Cussen had nine saves, and now they had to prepare for a C-NS team still trying to make a late-season revival and coming off last Monday’s 3-1 victory over visiting Holland Patent.
The Northstars gained a 2-1 edge on the Golden Knights by halftime, and spread its production around. Taylor Lessard scored twice, while Jessica Snyder earned the other goal. Nessa McKie, Avery Beck and Marissa Felasco earned one assist apiece.
Once it ventured to LHS Stadium, C-NS again found itself trying to protect its own net against wave after wave of Liverpool forwards. For the most part, it worked, the Warriors only finding the net with Kelly Bergamo’s unassisted first-half goal.
Trailing 1-0, just as it did in the first meeting with the Warriors, the Northstars picked up its own pressure, culminating in a second-half scoring play that saw Lessard take a pass from Beck and slide it past Liverpool goalie Katie Yudin to pull C-NS even.
Again, it went to overtime, but in the seven-on-seven period, no one could net a game-winner, Julia Lantry proving herself busy for C-NS by making six saves, twice Yudin’s total.
Now, while the Warriors (7-2-2) rested for a big clash this week against league-leading Fayetteville-Manlius (whom it tied 2-2 on Sept. 21), C-NS ventured to Rome Free Academy on Friday and again went to overtime, but emerged with a 2-1 victory over the Black Knights.
Continuing her hot play, Lessard scored in the first half, matching RFA’s Madisynn Reilley. Then the two sides went through a scoreless half before Lessard returned and, in the seven-on-seven OT period, pushed a shot past Black Knights goalie Rachelle Kent to win it. McKie and Felasco assisted on Lessard’s scoring plays.
This finally got C-NS above the .500 mark (6-5-1), and the Northstars still have games ahead against Baldwinsville Wednesday and Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Friday as the regular season ends this week.
