As September concluded no Section III field hockey team, other than Cicero-North Syracuse, had gone unblemished through the month.
Yet that perfect record did not survive the first Saturday in October thanks to Section V’s Pittsford, who defeated the Northstars in a 2-1 decision last Saturday afternoon, Addie Esce’s goal the only tally for C-NS as Bella Normanly earned the assist.
Prior to this C-NS was rolling through its opposition, like it did Tuesday night defeating East Syracuse Minoa 4-0 in a game where it sprinted out to a 3-0 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
Another goal followed before halftime as Nicole Conklin twice found the net to run her season total to nine goals. Carleigh Colvin and Samantha Moreno also converted, with Esce and Normanly earning assists.
Liverpool has also kept pace since its loss to C-NS Sept. 19, not surrendering a goal in the three games that followed including Tuesday’s thrilling 1-0 overtime win over Little Falls.
Arriving at LHS Stadium with a 6-1 record of its own, the Mounties spent the entire 60 minutes of regulation and a large portion of OT containing the Warriors’ attack, only allowing a handful of direct chances.
However, Liverpool was just as stingy, Jenna Hayes turning back all five shots, and her long, hard effort was rewarded during seven-on-seven OT when Jane Razza put the game-winner past Little Falls goalie Giulianna Izzo.
Far easier for the Warriors was a 5-1 win over Auburn 24 hours later, Liverpool sprinting out to a 5-0 advantage by halftime with a diverse and deep attack.
Five different players – Emily Nestor, Chloe Youker, Gianna Carbone, Zoe Noyes and Sophia Puccia – earned goals, with Razza and Ashley Nestor earning assists.
Then it was C-NS’s turn against Auburn on Thursday night, and it would go 4-0 in the Northstars’ favor with Conklin scoring twice and Normanly earning a goal and assist. Addie Esce put in the other goal.
Facing Section V’s Pittsford on Saturday C-NS
This happened as Liverpool faced Baldwinsville in the finals of the Bees’ own Huntington Classic, not a league game but a rematch of a Sept. 16 battle won by the Warriors in overtime.
Here, again it was close – and again Liverpool won, this time 2-1 and not needing OT to prevail.
All through the first three periods, B’ville found it difficult to solve the Warriors, Hayes working her total to eight saves. Yet thanks to its own fine resistance the Bees only trailed 1-0 going to the final quarter.
In those last 15 minutes Kerrigan Shaw would score for B’ville but Riley Moyer did so for Liverpool, her second to go with an initial tally in the second quarter.
This followed Friday night’s opening-round game where Liverpool took on Holland Patent and ran over the Golden Knights 5-0 with a potent attack led by Razza and Noyes.
For the first time in her varsity career Nazza picked up a three-goal hat trick, helped in no small part by Noyes converting twice and assists credited to Nestor, Puccia and Riley Moyer.
