Now each of the area’s girls soccer teams was fully into league competition, with West Genesee confronted with the biggest challenge of all as it challenged reigning state Class AA champion Baldwinsville last Tuesday night at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium.
And there were long stretches where the Wildcats played on even terms, but the stunning skill of the Bees made the difference as it handed WG a 3-0 defeat.
Much of the first half was quiet, with the Wildcats’ defenders denying the likes of Hannah Mimas room to operate. Yet it only made room for others, especially junior Simone Neivel.
Off a short corner kick midway through the first half, Neivel, teaming with Kelsey Delola, curved a right-footed shot from a sharp left angle into the top right corner of the net.
Neivel’s penalty kick rammed off the crossbar late in the half, but 59 seconds into the second half she made up for it with a second goal similar to the first, only the angle was from the right edge to the top left corner of the net.
Delola returned in the 60th minute to deliver a devastating free kick. From 25 yards out and on the left side, Delola lofted it perfectly at a height that fit inside the crossbar and out of Liz Croft’s reach.
Knowing that only great skill had beaten them, WG regrouped and, on Thursday night, handed Cicero-North Syracuse its first defeat of the season by a 1-0 margin.
They played through a scoreless first half, and as the game wore on the Wildcats’ defense, led by Ana Castro, Emma Goodelle, Katrina Tessier and Madison VanDyke, kept making big stops, with Croft and Caitlin Miles combining for 12 saves.
WG had fewer chances on the other end, but with the game still 0-0 in the second half, Shannon Foster broke free and put it past Olivia Haven for the only goal the Wildcats needed.
Bishop Ludden was kept off the board last Monday against Pulaski, falling 3-0 to the Blue Devils, who got all of its goals in the second half from Lani Ward, Mariah McConnell and Allie Magee. Gaelic Knights goalie Katie Costello had six saves.
Then Ludden went after undefeated Bishop Grimes on Wednesday, but lost 1-0, all of its eight shots swallowed up by Caroline Wilkinson as Jenna Sloan’s second-half goal negated the nine saves from Sarah Boyea.
Jordan-Elbridge had a 4-1 defeat to Hannibal last Friday afternoon. Chelsea Curtis earned the Eagles’ lone goal as Abigail Burns assisted. Gabriella Bard had 15 saves, but Warriors forward Nichole Oleyourryk burned J-E for a three-goal hat trick.