With yet another Section III Class B championship season behind them, the Marcellus girls soccer team aimed to make 2016 just as profitable – and perhaps do more and return to the state final four in mid-November.
To do so, the Mustangs would have to weather the usual challenges from the usual OHSL Liberty division powers, and also would test itself outside the league, especially in last Friday night’s match against 2015 state Class A finalist Jamesville-DeWitt.
And it would do so without 13 graduating seniors from last fall’s squad, including standouts Madi Belvito, Jada Sargeant, Shannon White, Alana Montreal, Keelin Kelly and Emily Buschbascher.
J-D, for its part, was coming off a rare set of back-to-back defeats to 2015 state Class AA finalist Baldwinsville and Westhill, and wanted no part of a third consecutive loss. That, along with constant pressure, proved too much for Marcellus to overcome in a 2-0 defeat.
Everyone on the Marcellus defense faced quite a task containing the Rams’ explosive and experienced group of forwards. Somehow, it kept things within range most of the night, with goalkeeper Grace Coon making 12 saves.
The problem, though, was that the Mustangs rarely broke that pressure, taking just four shots. So when J-D did find the net, it proved decisive as Sophia Dimkopoulos netted one goal and assisted on the other, by Lainey Foti. Elena Haarer assisted on the Dimkopoulos tally.
Before all this, Marcellus started the season on Sept. 2 with an impressive effort against visiting Christian Brothers Academy, the new-look attack gaining confidence as the night went and producing a 4-0 shutout of the Brothers.
CBA had plenty of chances, especially in the first half, when Marcellus could only take a 1-0 lead. But the Mustangs’ defense kept making key stops, and Grace Coon, taking over in goal, was tough, recording 12 saves by game’s end.
Marcellus didn’t feel comfortable until a second-half trio of goals. Taylor Reich would find the net twice, while Anna Vetsch had one goal and one assist. Lauren Lundrigan had the other goal as Taylor Gould contributed an assist.
Expected to get another test last Tuesday night at Homer, the Mustangs mostly leaned on its defense, which recorded a second consecutive shutout and helped Marcellus edge the Trojans 1-0.
Once Reich netted her third goal of the season in the first half, the game settled into a stalemate. Marcellus had plenty of more opportunities, but could not get one past Homer goalkeeper Anna Gugerty, who had 10 saves.
The Trojans had plenty of attacks of its own, never letting the Marcellus defense relax. Still, all the challenges were met, and when Coon and Mary Colella made 10 saves between them, the Mustangs had a strong early-season win in the books.
Following the loss to J-D, Marcellus got ready for another key early-season match, its showdown with rival Westhill this Thursday night at 7:30.
