By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The recent history of Spencerport girls’ soccer has known its share of great shots.
Lily Brongo’s game winner in Wednesday night’s Section V Class A semi-final is the latest.
Brongo connected in the 65th minute, and the Rangers advanced to Saturday’s Class A title game with a 2-1 win over the Brockport Blue Devils.
“We’ve gone through those shots so many times in practice and just hitting the ball to where we know it’s going in the back of the net,” Brongo said. “It was one of those. The way that the play set up, the passing that we had I was like I have to take this shot because I’m not going to be able to get another opportunity. This is the moment that I have to be in right now.”
Sabrina Trapani threaded a diagonal lead from the center of the pitch through a pair of Brockport defenders and caught Brongo in full stride along the right flank.
“It was a gorgeous ball,” Brongo said of the pass. “I’m just glad I got finish it for her and for the team.
“It was just in all honesty I’m going to take it and hope for the best.”
It couldn’t have been any better.
The sophomore midfielder unleashed a one-timed upper 90 missile that nudged the far post for her sixth goal of the season.
“What we say is you heard the “ting” because it hit the triangle (where side post and crossbar meet). It’s more than I could have ever hoped for. That’s the shot I’ve been working on for so many years.”
65’ Lily. Brongo. Connects on an oppo upper 90 strike to give @Rangers_GSOC a 2-1 lead. pic.twitter.com/MCPHaPuJpo
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 31, 2019
Brockport leveled the match four minutes earlier when Ella Fadale slotted near post from inside the 18-yard box. It was the sophomore’s 10th marker of the season.
Fadale’s tally capped an opening to the second half which saw Brockport bring waves of pressure on the three-time defending champions. The pressure earned the Blue Devils a penalty kick less than 13 minutes into the stanza.
Early second half corner kick opportunity for @BportGSoccer @Rangers_GSOC leads 1-nil pic.twitter.com/j3h0qo6JoF
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 31, 2019
Spencerport senior keeper Cat Wall turned away the attempt.
“I went with my gut and luckily it came out,” Wall said. “I knew what was on the line at that point. Just did it for the people around me.”
53’ Cat. Wall. @Rangers_GSOC leads 1-nil. pic.twitter.com/4cr7TokcBk
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 31, 2019
Maddie Tortora gave Spencerport a 1-nil advantage heading into halftime with her first goal of the season.
33’ Maddie Tortora gets the scoring started for @Rangers_GSOC 1-0 lead over @BportGSoccer Class A semifinals pic.twitter.com/KcDujDRgzZ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 31, 2019
Spencerport (No. 9 NYSSWA) improved to 13-3-2 and advanced to meet Pittsford Mendon (No. 14 NYSSWA) in Saturday’s championship game. A 3 PM start time is scheduled at Canandaigua Academy.
The Rangers claimed back-to-back NYS titles in 2016 and 2017 a run which included a state record 64-game unbeaten streak.
Brockport finished the season 11-4-4. The Blue Devils were unbeaten in eight of nine games entering the match. Their most recent defeat prior to Wednesday’s was a 5-2 setback to Spencerport on October 8th.
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