BALDWINSVILLE – For most of last week, the Baldwinsville girls lacrosse team got to rest, a welcome break from a crowded slate where it had played nine times in 22 days, going 7-2 along the way.
Of course, one of those defeats was to Cicero-North Syracuse in overtime on May 11 – a game the Bees will look to avenge when it twice confronts the Northstars at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium late next week after another encounter with Fayetteville-Manlius.
Before that, though, B’ville first had to meet the challenge of two other Class A contenders, most notably West Genesee, with whom it had split two early-season encounters.
Now, in the third meeting Thursday night at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, it was an early scoring surge that proved decisive for the Bees, who went on to record a 12-9 victory over the Wildcats.
B’ville jumped out in front 3-1, and after Rylee Gonzalez’s back-to-back goals tied it, countered with a 4-0 spurt midway through the first half to jump out in front for good.
For the rest of the game, a pattern emergd where WG would convert and move closer, only to have the Bees answer it as the margin never got closer than a two-goal margin again.
Carlie Desimone stepped up to pace B’ville, her four goals taking pressure off Emma Gebhardt, who still managed to score three times and earn an assist.
Sophia Muscolino finished with two goals and two assists, while Olivia Muscolino had one goal and one assist. Tiffany Natoli and Jaedyn Frink also found the net and Emma Hollenbeck earned an asisst.
Two nights earlier, B’ville got a challenge from Christian Brothers Academy – and passed that one, too, battling hard to defeat the Brothers 12-10.
Having dropped a close 15-13 decision at West Genesee on May 15, CBA would challenge itself again at B’ville, but meet with the exact same result.
Each half followed a similar pattern, with the Brothers’ attack finding some success, but not quite enough to keep pace with the Bees, who effectively clung to its slim lead in the closing minutes.
B’ville was able to spread out its production a bit more, Olivia Muscolino getting four goals as Gebhardt and Sophia Muscolino both scored twice, Gebhardt adding two assists.
Hollenbeck and Desimone both finished with one goal and one assist, while Frink and Gwyneth Madden also converted and Natoli picked up a pair of assists.
CBA’s attack centered around Gracie Britton and Bella Roberson, Britton earning five goals and one assist and Roberson scoring four times while adding an assist. Amelia Bonacci added a goal and two assists.
