CENTRAL NEW YORK – Here was the chance for the Cazenovia girls soccer team to really put itself to the test – and it found out that it is more than ready to perhaps do something special later this fall.
Skaneteles, undefeated and defending the Section III Class B championship, brought a no. 2 state ranking to the Sean Googin Sports Complex last Wednesday night, but it could not earn a victory as the host Lakers matched the efforts of the visitors and pulled off a 2-2 draw.
Not only was Skaneateles 7-0 going into the game, it had shut out six of those seven opponents and outscored them by a combined 23-1 margin.
Yet Cazenovia needed less than the 80 minutes of regulation to double what all the previous combined foes had done against Skaneateles. Hannah Ruddy and Ella Baker picked up goals, with Dinah Gifford adding an assist.
Though Julia O’Connor and Paige Willard put in goals for Skaneateles, it could not nab the game-winner late in regulation or in 20 minutes of overtime, Skye Sanford working her total to eight saves helped by a fierce and resilient Cazenovia defense.
Looking to follow this up, Cazenovia visited Alibrandi Stadium Friday to face Christian Brothers Academy and found itself in overtime, but was able to defeat the Brothers 2-1.
Baker led the way, as in the first half she took a pass from Caitlyn Smithers and converted to put the Lakers in front 1-0, which lasted for a while.
Lauren Zollo tied it for CBA with a second-half free kick, but that was all Cazenovia’s defense would allow, Stanford working her way to 10 saves.
It went into OT, where Hannah Ruddy, from the right side, sent a touch pass to Baker, whose shot sailed into the top left part of the net for the game-winner.
Back on Tuesday, Chittenango took a 2-3-1 record into its game against Phoenix and was unable to get much going in a 3-0 loss to the Firebirds.
Rebecca Baldwin recorded six saves for the Bears, but she had no answer for Courtney Carter, the Phoenix forward who, carrying her own side, netted all three goals for a hat trick to give her 10 for the season.
Two days later, Chittenango lost to Marcellus 5-0, with Baldwin getting seven saves but the Mustangs rolling behind a deep and balanced attack led by Ava Aupperle, who had two goals and one assist.
