Though it wasn’t for a state championship, the top two-ranked girls soccer teams in Class B clashed Saturday when no. 1-ranked Marcellus faced no. 2-ranked Mechanicville in the regional final at Stillwater High School.
And it’s doubtful anything that might take place this weekend at the state final four might equal the sheer drama of this game, which nearly spilled over beyond regulation and overtime before a very familiar face delivered for the Mustangs a 1-0 victory.
For a long time this game exactly echoed the Nov. 1 Section III Class B final against Christian Brothers Academy. The Red Raiders’ defense had likely paid attention to what the Brothers had done and equaled that resistance throughout the 80 minutes of regulation time.
As the tension built and Marcellus again found itself in OT, it steadily increased the pressure throughout the first 15-minute period, helped in no small part by Mechanicville having just 10 players due to a red card.
Still, the Red Raiders got a great chance to win it at the 12-minute mark, Maddy Hopeck flashing open in front of the net and delivering a point-blank shot, only to have Tenly Baker stop it for her biggest save of the season.
The Mustangs didn’t get discouraged when, early in the second OT, a possible game-winning shot careened off the post and moved along the goal line without crossing it.
Instead, a minute later the Mustangs found itself again swarming and Lexie Fragnito, taking a pass from Jadyn Baker, fit home the game-winner, the second time in as many weeks Fragnito won a big game with a goal.
Having survived CBA when Fragnito’s overtime goal rebounded from a Marielle Kennedy shot off the crossbar, Marcellus had a far easier time of it in last Tuesday night’s regional opener at South Jefferson.
Facing Section VII’s Canton, the trio of Fragnito, Cece Powell and Corrine Aldrich proved unstoppable in a 7-0 victory that saw Marcellus build up a 5-0 advantage on the Bears by halftime.
Amid the flurry, Fragnito worked her way to a three-goal hat trick, running her season total to 38, and also got her 12th and 13th assists.Those passes went to Powell and Aldrich, who each scored twice, while Kennedy, Drew Johnson and Hannah Knox also picked up assists.
The battle with Mechanicville followed and, once Marcellus survived it, attention could get turned to another state final four appearance.
Nextg Saturday at 5 p.m. at Cortland High School, the Mustangs face Section I’s Bronxville in the state semifinals. The winner gets to Sunday’s title game at 3 p.m. at SUNY-Cortland.
