Ballston Spa tops LaSalle 4-2
Scotties soccer advances to next week’s quarterfinals
BALLSTON SPA >> The seeding number in front of the two names Thursday afternoon at Ballston Spa High School were lower than wished by the competitors, but a resurgence by the La Salle Cadets made the contest close as the defending Section II Class AA champion Ballston Spa held off the Troy-area visitors in a 4-2 preliminary round playoff win at home.
The No. 7 seeded Scotties took an early lead on Jeremy Obrecht’s goal during the fifth minute and added an insurance goal from Colin Maruscak seven minutes later. Ballston Spa looked in command after Jake Durfee tapped in a rolling corner kick for the 3-0 halftime lead.
No. 10 seeded La Salle got on the board two minutes into the second half off the foot of Emmett Baynes and cut the lead in half with 15 minutes remaining on Sam Haita’s goal. Just one minute earlier the Cadets missed a golden opportunity when the ball sailed over the crossbar.
“At halftime all I had to say was ‘Are we playing ‘Cadet Soccer’ and the answer was no,” La Salle head coach Matt Michaud said. “I think in the first half our front four were nervous and then they had an opportunity to see that ‘Hey, we belong. We’re good enough to put pressure on the teams in the AA.
“They saw that in glimpses in the first half and the second half they got a little more confident, comfortable around the ball. All year long we’ve been a second half team, but we just got back to playing Cadet Soccer
and holding ourselves accountable to a certain level.”
Ballston Spa will travel to face No. 2 seeded Shenendehowa in a 7 p.m. quarterfinal Tuesday. Ballston Spa 4, LaSalle Institute 2
Scoring: LaSalle – Emmett Baynes (1 goal, 0 assists), Sam Haita 1-0. Ballston Spa – Jeremy Obrecht 1-0, Colin Maruscak 1-0, Jake Durfee 1-0, Eric Slocum 1-0. Shots on goal: LaSalle – 4, Ballston Spa 5. Goalies: LaSalle – Tyler Rapp, 5 saves. Ballston Spa – Rylie Hall 5. Corner
kicks: LaSalle – 3. Ballston Spa – 6.
Girls volleyball
SARATOGA CATHOLIC 3, HOOSIC VALLEY 0 >> Saratoga Catholic beat Hoosic Valley 25-22,25-
13,25-19 to ensure both teams finished as Wasaren League co-champions with 11-1 records. The Saints’ Ani Crocker finished with 4 aces, 4 kills, 7 digs; Grace Fornabia had 2 aces, 11 kills, 3 blocks, 20 digs; Elise Browell had 3 aces, 18 assists; Kennedy Murphy had 3 aces, 3 kills and MaryClare Pikus had 7 digs. Camille Coyne had 11 digs, four blocks and three kills for the visitors in defeat while Nikki Schaffer had a team-high 5 kills. TAMARAC 3, WATER FORD HALFMOON 2 >> The Bengals edged the Fordians 21-25, 25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 25-17. Tamarac was led by Lauren Holt’s 7 digs, Caitlyn Roden’s 28 digs, five blocks and Alida Scecchitano’s 25 digs. Olivia Leonard had nine aces and six kills while Courtney Formosa had three aces 20 assists for Waterford-Halfmoon. NISKAYUNA 3, BALLSTON SPA2>> The Silver Warriors edged the Scotties 21-25, 25-17, 23-25, 25-14, 29-27 in a marathon match. Niskayuna (11-3) was led by Diana Pinchuk’s 14 aces, 10 assists, 6 kills, 3 blocks in the contest while Ballston Spa’s Laiken Fox had 23 kills, Madi Amico had 14 kills, 20 digs, and Lauren Kersch finished with 33 assists. SARATOGA SPRINGS 3, MOHONASEN 0 >> The Blue Streaks shut out the Warriors 2517, 25-17, 25-23. Saratoga Springs was led by Sukpreet Grewal’s 12 assists, 4 digs while teammates Paitence Genier had 3 aces, 6 kills; Katie Stanley had 3 kills 2 blocks and Briann Barringer finished with 5 kills.
Girls swimming
GUILDERLAND-VOORHEESVILLE 107, SARATOGA SPRINGS 79 >> The Blue Streaks got wins from Taylor Patnode in the 50 free, Autumn Boxley in the 500 free and diver Felicity Ryan in a league loss to G-V. BALLSTON SPA 93, MOHONASEN-SCHALMONT 93 >> The Scotties needed every point to come out on top, including individual event wins from Corrine Pepper in the 200 medley and 100 breakstroke, Emma Swistak diving, Tierra Damico in the 100 butterfly and Emma Hoffman in the 100 backstroke. BURNT HILLS-SCOTIA 104, ALBANY 62 >> The Spartans won five individual events — including 1-2-3 by Rose Carlstedt, Hannah Seiz and Kate Turczyn in the 200 free — and all three relays to clinch the team win.
Girls soccer
COLUMBIA 2, BALLSTON SPA 0>> Bridget Austin provided a goal and an assist and Shayna Lenney provided the insurance goal for the Blue Devils (8-8-1) in a Section II Class AA preliminary round playoff win. Columbia’s Sage Smith made seven saves to earn the shutout in goal while Ballston Spa’s Gia Burdick had a match-high 13 saves. Top-seeded Niskayuna (13-0-3) will host Columbia in a 3 p.m. in a quarterfinal match Monday.
Area golf
SARATOGA LAKE HOLE-INONE >> Harry Peterson aced No. 14 at Saratoga Lake from 135 yards with a 7-iron. Mike Purdy and Seth Peterson witnessed the feat.
Women’s soccer
SIENA 2, QUINNIPIAC 0 >> The reigning MAAC Champions will get a chance to defend their crown. Junior midfielder Kelsey Horst and senior captain Kristen Connors scored as Siena Women’s Soccer shutout Quinnipiac 2-0 at Siena Field to secure a MAAC Tournament berth.
Siena (8-5-3, 6-2) controlled action throughout against their fellow MAAC contender in a key conference match in which the winner would clinch a tournament berth. The Saints held decisive advantages in both shots (20-8) and corners (13-1).
Offensively, Siena opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Junior midfielder Madison Vasquez won possession near midfield, side stepped a defender, and fed freshman Amber Alfonzo who one touched to a cutting Horst who broke free to finish her fourth goal of the season.
Men’s soccer
QUINNIPIAC 3, SIENA 2 >> Junior striker Alexander Tejera scored twice, but Quinnipiac benefited from a pair of penalty kick goals to defeat Siena Soccer 3-2 in Connecticut in a matchup between the top-two teams in the MAAC Standings. Siena held decided advantages in both shots (17-6) and corners (8-2).
Eamon Whelan converted both penalty kick goals for surging Quinnipiac (105, 6-1) which has won six straight. Chrys Iakovidis added six saves in goal for the Bobcats who now have the inside track on the regular season crown after being projected to finish seventh according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.