Knowing that the pressure associated with the Section III Class B playoffs loomed, the Skaneateles girls soccer team continued to test itself against high-quality opposition in higher classes, knowing the results might not always turn out satisfactory.
A good example was last Tuesday night’s match against Fulton at Hyatt Stadium, where the Red Raiders’ Jordan Coulon personally tore up the Lakers’ defense, and that proved enough to withstand a Skaneateles comeback attempt, leading to a 4-3 defeat.
This exciting battle started with Tate Green finding the net to put the Lakers in front 1-0. Early on, though, Skaneateles had trouble containing Coulon, who delivered two goals 4:16 apart to put her team in front before Catie Woodruff’s goal tied it again.
Still on fire, Coulon completed a natural hat trick with her third goal late in the half. Trailing 3-2 at the break, the Lakers didn’t crumble, pulling back even 3-3 in the 53rd minute when Shay McCaarthy found the net. By this point, Lauren Goodchild had earned a pair of assists, with Green also getting an assist.
But the Lakers could not claim the lead. Instead, with 9:33 to play in regulation, Coulon, on a breakaway, fed Sydney Gilmore, who slid a shot past Mae McGlynn. Despite a lot of late chances, Skaneateles was unable to force overtime, McGlynn finishing with 12 saves as Fulton counterpart Callie Beckwith had 11 saves.
Now a Class AA opponent, West Genesee, would visit Hyatt Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and in the chilly conditions the Lakers prevailed 2-0, getting one goal apiece from Goodchild and Woodruff and relying on its defense to shut down the Wildcats the rest of the way.
Skaneateles still went into the sectional tournament sporting a 10-5-1 record. And with a no. 4 seed in a 10-team bracket, the Lakers go straight into the quarterfinals, where it will face no. 5 seed Holland Patent. A possible semifinal with top seed Marcellus looms.
