CENTRAL NEW YORK – With two tournaments in the books, the Fayetteville-Manlius and East Syracuse Minoa field hockey teams now turned to the bulk of their respective league schedules.
But they only did so after another head-to-head meeting last Wednesday night at Spartan Stadium, where the Hornets steadily took charge and eventually earned a 4-0 victory.
A goal in the first period, plus two in the second quarter, left F-M in front 3-0 by halftime, and it would add another tally late as its defense held ESM to four shots, all stopped by Kaleigh Hamilton.
Carine Smith had two of the Hornets’ four goals, The others went to Ella Herber and Carlye Bryant, with Natalie Rameas and Sarah Porter earning assists. Spartans goalie Mollie Comstock made nine saves.
Before this, F-M took on Liverpool last Monday night and battled to beat the Warriors 1-0.
Most of the night featured strong defense on both ends. Only the Hornets were able to break through thanks to Porter’s unassisted goal.
Liverpool had plenty of chances on its own, but a steady Hornets defense was able to deflect most of them, and Hamilton stopped all six shots she faced.
ESM faced Camden last Monday night and led going into the fourth quarter, but could not hold on to it, settling for a 1-1 tie with the Blue Devils.
After a scoreless first half, the Spartans went in front when Alessandra Fernandez, off a feed from Mary Grace Godleski, put it past Camden goalie Abby Henderson.
The Blue Devils countered with a fourth-quarter goal by Ryleigh Johnson, the only shot Comstock allowed as she finished with eight saves, many of them late ones.
It was far different on Friday for ESM, who routed Whitesboro 7-1 by scoring in every single quarter, twice in three of them.
Fernandez, with her first varsity three-goal hat trick, led the way, with Godleski getting a goal and two assists. Reiley Murphy, Akuot Kuany and Mariska Gal had the other goals, with Kaleigh Maloof and Addison Shepard also in the assist column.
F-M, meanwhile, kept it going in a rematch with Liverpool on Friday, again blanking the Hornets, this time 2-0, to move to 5-3 at the midway point of its regular season.
A single goal in each half – one by Porter, the other by Herber – was enough as Hamilton finished with five saves.
