BALDWINSVILLE – Even sporting a 5-4 record, the Baldwinsville field hockey remembered quite well how it nearly authored a signature victory back on Sept. 16 when it rallied late against Liverpool, only to fall in overtime to the Warriors.
When these two sides met again Saturday at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium in the finals of the Huntington Classic, it was in a congenial atmosphere as all the teams gathered were raising money for breast cancer awareness in memory of late B’ville field hockey coach Stacy Huntington.
It also was a terrific game, not decided until the final minute when, again, Liverpool held on to prevail 2-1.
All through the first three periods, B’ville found it difficult to solve a stingy Warriors defense anchored by goalie Jenna Hayes, who finished with eight saves.
Yet thanks to its own fine resistance the Bees only trailed 1-0 going to the final quarter, where 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.
Back in the opening round, the two rivals went through contrasting games. Liverpool routed Holland Patent 5-0, with three goals from Jane Razza and two more by Zoe Neyes.
B’ville, on the other hand, found itself going back and forth with Vernon-Verona-Sherrill through the first three periods before some strong defense in the late going preserved a 3-2 win over the Red Devils.
Abigail Mantione, with a goal and assist, led a balanced attack where Callie Smith and Kate Rinn also put in goals, with an assist credited to Kelly Nadzan.
Alyssa Lessels and Sheridan Poulot earned goals on the VVS side, and it took every bit of Chloe Butler’s 10 saves, many of them in the late going, to help B’ville hang on. Red Devils goalie Mallory Dodge had seven saves.
As if two games with Liverpool was not enough, a third meeting happens Wednesday after the Bees challenged unbeaten Cicero-North Syracuse on Monday and before a Friday game with East Syracuse Minoa.
