Piraino wraps up solid year
Niskayuna High graduate had 3 goals, 1 assist for Ualbany
The University at Albany women’s soccer team got a solid performance out of sophomore midfielder Olivia Piraino this season.
Piraino, from Niskayuna and a Niskayuna High graduate, was on the field for 1,281 minutes, the Great Danes finishing 6-8-4 overall and 4-3-2 in America East Conference play after dropping a 3-1 decision to Vermont in the league semifinals on Nov. 4. They beat Binghamton 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
Piraino finished with three goals and an assist with two game-winners. She had the first goal in a 4-0 league victory over Maryland-baltimore County on Oct. 7 and the lone goal in a 1-0 league triumph over Binghamton.
The Great Danes also got a strong effort on defense from sophomore Margot Nezaj (Guilderland High), who played in 17 games with six starts. Freshman Joanna Van Royan (Bethlehem High) played in 10 games with eight starts. The team’s record included three 2-1 losses and three 0-0 ties.
Carrie Krohn (Schoharie)
The senior scored both goals to lead the Siena women’s soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Iona in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference semifinals on Oct. 31, but the Saints’ season came to an end with a loss to Quinnipiac on penalty kicks in the final last Thursday. The Schoharie High graduate finished with four goals and seven assists. Junior Caitlin Wania (Ballston Spa High) played in 16 games and started five for Siena, which finished 9-9 overall and 6-4 in the MAAC.
Sean Speck (Burnt Hills)
The sophomore, a Burnt Hills-ballston Lake High graduate, shared goaltender duties on the Union men’s soccer team. He was 4-1 in 10 games and nine starts, giving up 12 goals with 27 saves. Junior Evan Farr (Saratoga High) helped the offense with six goals and two assists while junior Craig Miller (Shenendehowa High) had two goals and two assists. Junior Ryan Postlethwait (Saratoga High) had one goal, and it was a game-winner. The Dutchmen finished 7-8-1 on the season.
Natalie Ricci (Cohoes)
The senior was the top scorer on the Sage women’s soccer team, which finished 8-8-2 overall and 3-4-1 in the Empire 8 Conference. The Cohoes High graduate
had nine goals and two assists for 20 points with three game-winners. Freshman Kierstin Lynch of Schenectady (Schalmont High) split time as the team’s goalkeeper and had an 8-4 record in 13 games with nine starts. She gave up 19 goals and had 60 saves with three shutouts and was a part of two others.
Melissa Haas (Clifton Park)
The 5-foot-3 defender started all 16 games for the Skidmore women’s soccer team. The Thoroughbreds finished 8-7-1 overall and 4-4-1 in the Liberty League after a 2-0 loss to Rochester Tech in the league quarterfinals on Nov. 2. The Shenendehowa High graduate had game-winning goal in a 3-0 league victory over Vassar on Oct. 9. Haas also helped the defense hold foes to just 19 goals with five shutouts.
Jillian Nitchman (Ballston Spa)
The 5-9 senior middle hitter was named Cobleskill’s Sportsman Team member when the North Atlantic Conference Allstar team was announced. The Ballston Spa High graduate had 136 kills, 53 digs, 39 blocks and 16 service aces for the Flying Tigers, who finished with a 12-14 overall mark and a 4-4 league mark after dropping a 3-0 decision to Maine Maritime in the NAC championship match last Saturday. Cobleskill earned a trip to the final by winning the Western Division title.
Garrett Hedge (Gansevoort)
The freshman midfielder led the Sunyadirondack men’s soccer team in scoring. The Saratoga High graduate had 13 goals and three assists with five game-winners. He had three goals in a 4-0 victory over Word of Life on Oct. 14. Freshman Ethan Knauf (Lake George High) finished with three goals and six assists and had the game-winner in a season-ending 2-1 victory over Tompkins Cortland on Oct. 17, the Timberwolves finished 6-8.