Nothing for the Baldwinsville field hockey team has proven easy this fall, with determined opponents of all kinds bent on toppling the two-time defending Section III Class A champions and state final four participants.
The Bees have mostly met those challenges, pulling out several close wins, three of them in overtime, but none would be more satisfying than the chance it had last Saturday to knock off three-time defending state Class C champion Whitney Point.
On the home turf at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, B’ville never got close as the Eagles stopped the Bees 5-1, ending matters with four unanswered goals in the first half.
With the game out of reach, the Bees gave Sarah Smiley an extended look in goal, and she made 10 saves. Then Erika Van Slyke scored in the second half to break up the shutout as Mackenzie Wodka earned the assist.
Much earlier in the week, B’ville had traveled to Moravia, and on the grass it was in a defensive mode for much of the game, yet still emerged with a 1-0 win over the Blue Devils.
Having gone in front in the first half with a goal by Emma Brushingham that was assisted by Mackenzie Wodka, the Bees found itself under a lot of pressure to maintain that slim lead.
Again, B’ville’s defense was up to it, turning away chance and then seeing its goalie, Hailey Boda, stop all six Moravia shots she faced.
On Tuesday night, B’ville hosts Cicero-North Syracuse, having prevailed in overtime when they first met Sept. 10. Then the Bees visit Weedsport on Thursday afternoon.
