Both the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool girls soccer teams found themselves at early-season crossroads when they met for the first time in 2023 last Tuesday night at Bragman Stadium.

And much of the game was close one, too, but with the Northstars gradually increasing its pressure, it eventually got away and, led by Emille Rio, earned a 2-0 victory over the Warriors.

Liverpool’s defense earned its extra work, closing thing up around its net and maintaining touch with C-NS as Grace Sleeth finished the night with six saves.

Still, C-NS led 1-0 at halftime due to Rio’s first goal, and she returned in the second half to strike again for an insurance tally, Riley Joyce getting credit for an assist.

Now the Northstars ventured to Baldwinsville on Thursday night, and though it picked up another shutout, it didn’t get on the board, either, in a 0-0 draw with the Bees.

Eighty minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime did not settle matters, with the two sides rarely able to generate close scoring chances. B’ville only had three shots, one less than C-NS’s four.

C-NS and Liverpool both went to weekend tournaments in Oneonta – and the Northstars, in particular, flourished, netting 17 goals in back-to-back shutouts of Section IV opponents.

The Northstars first wiped out Oneonta 10-0, scoring five times in each half as Rio was again at the forefront, finishing her day with four goals and one assist.

Abigail Mackey scored twice and got two assists, with Emily Kozdemba also scoring twice. Julianna Edwards had one goal and one assist as Adrianna Joyce earned a goal and Adrianna Calabria picked up an assist.

Then, in Sunday’s 7-0 romp over Elmira, Rio, Mackey and Edwards each found the net twice, Mackey breaking out with three assists and Edwards earning two assists. Julia Debejan put in a goal as Gianna Melfi and Maya Germain also earned assists.

Liverpool also won twice there, blanking Athens (Pennsylvania) 4-0 on Sunday with two goals from Alexa Marsh and single tallies from Grace Muller and Eliana Scivetti.

A day later, Liverpool beat Troy 5-1, led by Muller’s three-goal hat trick as she added an assist. Marsh supported Muller with her three assists as Scivetti and Sydney Zingaro also earned goals.

The Northstars would face Fayetteville-Manlius, Fulton and Baldwinsville as the Warriors went to Central Square and Oswego before hosting West Genesee on Saturday – five games in eight days for Liverpool, seven in 12 days for C-NS.