Eagles secure first victory
SARATOGA SPRINGS — There was no way the Bethlehem girls’ lacrosse team envisioned being winless entering its fifth game of the season Saturday. Saratoga Springs looked to keep the Eagles without that winning feeling again and built a three-goal lead in the third quarter. The two teams ended up playing to a deadlock through 48 minutes. In the waning seconds of the second overtime, Bethlehem sophomore attack Brianna Fabian provided a memorable finish.
Fabian took a feed from Kirsten Phang and rifled home a shot with six seconds remaining in the second overtime to provide Bethlehem a 9-8 victory over the Blue Streaks in Suburban Council action.
Gabby Crellin made a steal for the Eagles in the second overtime to set up the game’s final possession as Bethlehem coach Dani Blanchard called time with 47 seconds left. Fabian flashed to the front of the goal and converted her shot. She was quickly mobbed by her teammates.
“We needed this one. We’ve had a rough start,” Blanchard said. “They worked really hard. Today was more of a physical and mental battle than it was a strategy and IQ-type of thing. Our focus all week was this game was about a battle.”
“Our motto is never settle. Everyone worked, especially Gabby Crellin, to the end, to get that ball back and ultimately finishing it in the net,” Fabian said. “It was really great.”
“It was such a fun game. It was intense the whole time and so back and forth,” Saratoga Springs senior attack Carly Wise said. “It was really a goalie game. They both played outstanding. Jenna (Amodio) had amazing saves. Maddy Ward (Bethlehem) had amazing saves. It was really back and forth.”
Saturday’s showdown featured a pair of programs that claimed Section II titles in 2023. Bethlehem (1-4 overall, 1-0 league) dropped a 10-6 verdict at Queensbury, the 2023 Section II Class C champion, on Tuesday. The Eagles, who had advanced to the 2023 Class B state semifinals, previously lost games against Penfield (11-8), Pittsford (11-8) and Cicero-North Syracuse (14-6).
The Blue Streaks (5-1, 4-1) led 4-2 at halftime and used a goal by Janie Baringer with 10:41 left in the third quarter to increase their lead to three goals. Bethlehem responded with scores from Addison Daggett and Avery Eick to cut its deficit to 5-4.
Throughout the game, Bethlehem senior captain Kait Tietjen, a Marist-bound attack and faceoff specialist who is injured and out for the season, was on the sideline offering helpful tips to Eick for
her battles inside the circle against Wise.
“Without Kait’s help on the draw, we would not have won this game,” Blanchard said. “She really worked with Avery to help us win this one. It was instrumental.”
Bethlehem senior standout Caroline Marrotta tied the game at 5 with a beautiful scoring run down the front of the goal, but the Blue Streaks utilized scores from Wise and Baringer to open a 7-5 advantage with 4:15 left in the fourth quarter.
Marotta and Eick each tallied goals to again tie the contest. Following a steal, Wise registered her fourth goal of the game with 2:29 remaining in regulation. Bethlehem senior Maeve Conway (Vermont) converted on a free position chance with 1:47 left to tie the game for the fourth time, this time at 8.
Wise appeared poised to end the game in regulation at the buzzer, but her shot attempt bounced off the pipe.
“I wish post was worth two points or something,” Wise said with a laugh. “Post is always tough to hear when it rings off of it. … I am sick of overtime. They are so nerve-racking.”
Saratoga Springs, which won its two previous overtime encounters against Niskayuna (16-15) and Colonie (9-8), was unable to prevent Fabian’s last-second heroics.
“Brianna has this amazing spirit. She is always able to shake off the last play and the last look,” Blanchard said. “For her to finish was big for her. We are going to build from this and today was a big step in moving on.”
“We’ve had a hard couple of weeks. This was a really good job and I think we’ve set the tone for the rest of the season,” Fabian said. “It is really exciting.”
“Total credit to them for coming back. I know they had some tough losses before this,” Wise said. “They showed they wanted this win and we knew we couldn’t get too comfortable being a few goals ahead. We knew they had the talent, the skill and the speed to push their way through to come back. Definitely credit to them for some grit and resilience.”