The Sept. 15 overtime thriller that the Westhill girls soccer team pulled out against Marcellus wouldn’t have too much of a lingering effect, except for it pushing the Warriors to the no. 2 spot in the state rankings, trailing only defending state champion Schalmont.
At least the Warriors got some time to recuperate and rest before hitting the field again for last Tuesday’s game at Skaneateles. Much like Marcellus a week earlier, Westhill shut out the Lakers, though it doubled the margin to 4-0. ‘
Unlike with Marcellus, the Warriors didn’t want any kind of drama here. So it locked down on defense, thwarting every possible Skaneateles charge while, at the same time, building a 3-0 edge on the Lakers before intermission.
It began at the nine-minute mark when a long Westhill throw got headed in by Megan O’Reilly. Then the Warriors kept probing until Erin McMullen, who netted a hat trick in that Marcellus game on her birthday, converted in the 31st minute, and Erica Gangemi added a goal right before halftime.
Skaneateles goalie Grace Kush finished with six saves, but had to watch as Katelyn Karleski netted yet another Warriors goal in the 51st minute, and then let its defense do the rest, the Lakers unable to solve Westhill netminder Bella Lavigne, who earned five saves.
Westhill would beat Altmar-Parish-Williamstown by that same 4-0 margin last Thursday afternoon. Two goals in each half proved enough as McMullen, Karleski, O’Reilly and Jayanna Monds earned those goals, Gangemi and Ciarra Rudnick adding assists.
Marcellus, meanwhile, had already beaten Jordan-Elbridge in the aftermath of the Westhill defeat, and then romped past Hannibal 6-0 last Tuesday night, getting five of those goals in a decisive first half and also spreading things around.
Taylor Reich and Lily Powell each scored twice to lead that early rampage. Anna Vetsch and Grace Coon (taking a turn in the field) also netted goals as Liz White got two assists, with Olivia Bird and Michaela Tangredi getting single assists. Mary Colella replaced Coon in the net on this night and stopped all four shots she faced.
The Mustangs went from there to Thursday’s 5-0 shutout of Pulaski, which included steady production throughout the game. Up 2-0 at the half, Marcellus got away as White found the net twice, helped by goals from Powell, Tandgredi and Taylor Gould. Coon returned to her goalie duties and stopped all six shots she faced.
In a non-league game Saturday against Indian River, Marcellus stayed hot, earning a 7-0 victory over another group of Warriors who, unlike Westhill, didn’t offer big resistance, the lead getting to 3-0 by halftime and more than twice as large in the latter stages.
Vetsch would not let up until she had a three-goal hat trick in the books. Katherine Locastro scored twice, while Emily Alexander also found the net. Powell and Lauren Lundrigan earned one assist apiece.
