ONONDAGA COUNTY – Bad early-week weather kept Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool girls lacrosse teams from taking the field against each other last Tuesday, but the two sides would find success by week’s end.
This was especially true for the Warriors, who engaged in quite a comeback last Saturday to deliver a 14-13 victory over Christian Brothers Academy in overtime at LHS Stadium.
Everything went wrong at the outset for Liverpool, who saw CBA bolt out to a 7-1 lead in the game’s first 10 minutes. Only Maggie Tifft’s hat trick made things closer as the Brothers still were in front 10-5 at halftime.
As the second half wore on, though, the Warriors’ attack grew more diverse and more potent, which ate away at CBA’s margin. Finally, with back-to-back goals late in regulation, Liverpool forged a 13-13 tie.
An exchange of goals followed, but the Warriors still had most of the momentum going into OT, was able to gain possession and then won it when Abby Geary notched her third goal to go with a pair of assists.
Tifft scored six times overall as Gianna Carbone matched Geary’s three-goal hat trick. Lana Alampi had two goals, with Mia Berthoff getting one goal and one assist. Gracie Britton (five goals, two assists) and Maeve Mackenzie (four goals) led CBA’s effort.
Two nights earlier against against West Genesee, the Warriors could not prevent a second-half getaway from the Wildcats, who prevailed by a score of 11-6.
Primarily, the Warriors’ issue was that it didn’t have much diversity in its attack. Only Tifft, with four goals, and Carbone, with two goals, were able to convert.
More often, Liverpool found frustration at the net, seeing WG goalie Allie Hanlon stop 19 of 25 shots as, on the other end, the Wildcats, up 5-4 at halftime, pulled away thanks to Olivia Blanding’s three goals and two assists, with Rylee Gonzalez, Julia Miller and Reis Pagan getting two goals apiece.
As Liverpool rallied against CBA, C-NS had a far easier time of it at General Brown, dominating from start to finish in a 19-1 romp over the Lions.
Brooke Malchinoff, with five goals, and Fran Tortora, with two goals and six assists, led a deep and diverse attack. Shear Firth also scored twice, with Mackenzie Prentice getting a goal and three assists. Molly McGrath, Gabby Pauline, Tori Iannotti, Gabby Putman, Marissa Doty, Sophia Nesci and Courtney Jaworski also earned goals.
C-NS would get tested by trips to West Genesee and Baldwinsville before hosting South Jefferson. Liverpool, meanwhile, is home for three straight games against B’ville, Fayetteville-Manlius and Webster Thomas.
