With the tantalizing prospect of an undefeated regular season inching closer to reality, the Baldwinsville field hockey wasn’t going to let any factor stand in the way – including the unusual prospect of playing the same opponent twice in a three-day span.
The Bees faced Cicero-North Syracuse Monday at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, counting on a big first half, plus more great work in goal by Abbey Timmins, to push past the Northstars by a score of 4-1.
Barely 48 hours earlier, B’ville beat C-NS 3-1 in the finals of the Rome Free Academy ‘Knight Time’ Tournament, but it also remembered the close nature of its 3-2 victory at Bragman Stadium on Sept. 9, and all that familiarity had to make things a bit uncomfortable.
All the worries dissipated, though, when B’ville grabbed a 2-0 lead by halftime and saw Timmins continually thwart C-NS’s attacks, finishing the night with 11 saves. All the Northstars would manage was Katie Thies’ second-half goal, assisted by Jessica Snyder.
For her part, Northstars goalie Nina Trenca had nine saves, but couldn’t keep everything out, B’ville getting two goals from Amanda Strenk and one each from Chloe Lynch and Talia Scarafino. Shylea Dukat and Lauren Brushingham had one assist apiece.
Visiting East Syracuse Minoa two days later, B’ville had no intention of letting up, and while its defense did face some late struggles, it couldn’t prevent the Bees from making it 14 in a row and earning a 5-3 win over the Spartans.
Throughout the first half, B’ville kept ESM on its heels and, with Dukat and Lynch carrying the attack, produced a 3-0 lead. Then it got to 4-0 in the second half before the Spartans got on the board with back-to-back goals by Emma Schafer.
Despite that, and though Gillianne McCarthy added another late goal for ESM, B’ville stayed out in front, Dukat having put together a three-goal hat trick, plus an assist, while Lynch earned the other two tallies along with an assist. Mary Cate McKee also had an assist. Timmins made seven saves as Spartans goalie Cory Palmer had to make 19 saves.
Now all the Bees need to do to complete this perfect regular-season run is claim a rematch with ESM at Pelcher-Arcaro next Wednesday, plus prevail on Oct. 15 at Fayetteville-Manlius.
