ONONDAGA COUNTY – At either end of a busy and eventful week, the Baldwinsville field hockey team would face two Salt City Athletic Conference rivals, determined to set itself up as the main league challenger to Cicero-North Syracuse.
With a showdown against the Northstars looming on Tuesday, the Bees needed momentum for it – and started to pick it up in last Monday night’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Fayetteville-Manlius on the Hornets’ home turf.
The two league rivals played through a scoreless first half, with reasonable opportunities on both ends and neither side able to fully control the flow of play.
However, in the third quarter B’ville inched in front thanks to Ellie Holtman’s goal, and though Emma Dobrovech stopped everything else and finished with six saves, F-M was unable to equalize.
Then, in the latter half of back-to-back weekend games, the Bees hosted Liverpool at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, making up a contest originally set for Sept. 7 but postponed by dangerous weather.
Unlike with F-M, B’ville struck early, getting a first-quarter goal from Holtman. But Mia Berthoff equaled it and the two rivals stayed quiet the rest of the half.
Berthoff returned to net the go-ahead goal in the third quarter, and despite plenty of chances to get back even, the Bees could not do so, falling 2-1. In defeat, Chloe Butler managed five saves.
Less than 24 hours earlier, B’ville had pulled off another shutout against East Syracuse Minoa, blanking the Spartans 3-0 with patience and poise.
Despite dominating the flow of play, the Bees went to halftime 0-0, finally breaking through in the third quarter and adding two more late as Holtman, Olivia Harkola and Kate Rinn all converted, Harkola and Abigail Mantione each adding an assist.
At 3-2 overall following the Liverpool loss, B’ville will, after the C-NS visit, go to Onondaga High School League front-runner Cazenovia on Thursday and then visit Section IV power Greene on Saturday afternoon.
