By: Aidan Joly
In a game with a crazy amount of scoring, it ended up coming down to the wire in a sectional final field hockey game, with Saratoga taking down Shenendehowa by a final score of 4-3.
It took just 1:15 for the scoring to begin Monday as Lindsey Frank took a corner and put it in to put the Blue Streaks up 1-0 early. It did not take Shenendehowa long to answer as Jenna Graf fired off a shot that got past the goalkeeper to tie the game at one, still less than 10 minutes into the contest.
Frank scored for the second time later in the half at the 12:29 mark to give Saratoga their second lead of the afternoon. However, Shen did not bow down. Graf scored her second of the day with 4:36 to play and tied the game at two apiece.
“I knew that they were going to come back, I knew that. I just think collectively our defense has been getting stronger and stronger, and I think that’s what won it for us,” Saratoga head coach Jo-Anne Hostig said.
The first half scoring did not end there. Kate Ginley scored for Saratoga just over a minute later to make it 3-2, the last goal before the halftime break.
In the second half, things quieted down a little bit but were still plenty crazy. Less than two minutes into the second half, Frank passed to Emily Leonard who scored put Saratoga up by two goals, 4-2. Frank had two goals and both of the nongoals she got the assist on.
“We have plenty of talent on the team and other players that can do dangerous things,” Frank said.
Shenendehowa scored one final time with 17:20 to play on a goal from Eliza Branch that made it 4-3.
In the final minutes, Shen nearly scored multiple times, but most of them were stopped by Saratoga goalkeeper Renee Banagan. Another was mere inches from the line but was stopped by back Alanie Genter as the ball hit her in the leg and bounced away, preserving the game for Saratoga. In total, Shenendehowa had 22 penalty corner chances.
“They just kept doing them, doing other ones, options. The goalie was getting in front of some of them, some of them we just couldn’t get on our stick and execute,” Shenendehowa head coach Jeanne Frevola said.
Shen’s season is over following the loss, with a final record of 16-2.
Saratoga advances to the regional round where they will await the winner of Section 3, either Baldwinsville or Cicero-North Syracuse. That game will be played on Sunday, November 5 at Shenendehowa High School. Game time is set for noon.