UNDEFEATED BLUE STREAKS NOW 5-0
McCarthy scores twice to help Saratoga top Burnt Hills 4-2
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Saratoga Springs varsity field hockey had just given up the game-tying goal with about 10 minutes to play before halftime.
Instead of coasting into the intermission, the Blue Streaks pushed for the go-ahead goal. The result was two Erin McCarthy goals off penalty corners for all the offense Saratoga Springs needed to beat Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 4-2 in a Suburban Council contest Wednesday afternoon.
“It means a lot that we all pulled together,” McCarthy, a senior, said after the win. “It really shows how strong we’ve gotten as a team. I was just so happy (to score). I just want to go hug everybody then go back and do it again.”
The victory keeps the Blue Streaks a perfect 5-0 to start the season.
Saratoga Springs junior Lindsey Frank opened the scoring 18 minutes into the contest. It was the first of four goals the hosts scored off penalty corners. Grace Ziehnert had the assist.
It only took the visitors about a minute to equalize, however.
Lauren Buffer provided the assist off a penalty corner to Sadie Mitchell, who tied it at 1-1.
The back-and-forth didn’t stop there.
McCarthy scored the first of her
two goals less than two minutes later, sweeping in a pass from Alanie Genter off a penalty corner.
Less than five minutes before the half, McCarthy scored off an assist from Frank to make it 3-1 at the break.
“I knew what Burnt Hills cold do and I knew they wouldn’t let down so that helped build momentum in our direction,” Saratoga Springs coach Jo-Anne Hostig said of the two late goals. “We’re still kind of finding our way. We were behind 1-0 to Bethlehem and it fueled us to get going and get going faster.”
Genter gave the Blue Streaks a three-goal cushion off a rebound with 12:52 left in the contest, but it didn’t quite seal the win.
The Spartans’ Sydney Plemenik dove to sweep a ball into the cage less than a minute later to make it 4-2 after a fast break. Deirdre Rafferty had the assist.
It turned out to be the final goal of the game as both defenses played well down the stretch.
It was the second straight loss this week for Burnt HillsBallston Lake, who dropped a 2-0 decision to Shenendehowa on the road Monday.
“We didn’t play the best we could have but I’m happy,” Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake coach Kelly Vrooman said. “We’re going into two really tough games Friday and Saturday — Vestal and Camden. These two games will help us prepare for those games, which are against Class B schools.”
If both Saratoga Springs and defending state champion Shenendehowa make it through Friday’s contest, it could set up a match-up of undefeateds at Saratoga Springs High School next Monday.
“We want to keep the goose-egg for sure,” McCarthy said of being undefeated. “It’s a great victory if we win against Shen but they’re great competition. It will be a good game.”