By PAUL GOTHAM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Three different players found the back of the net, and the Pittsford Sutherland girls’ soccer team got a bounce-back win with a 3-0 victory over Canandaigua, Thursday night.
Meghan Jorger started the scoring in the first half while Ella Wilmot and Ashley Finkbeiner added second-half tallies.
“We’re doing well,” Sutherland head coach Adam Palumbo said. “We’re starting to move the ball really well. It’s looking good. Defensively, we’re starting to get our groove and offensively we’re starting to move the ball around.”
With 17:29 remaining in the first half, Joerger connected from the right flank with a shot that snuck under the crossbar. The freshman later assisted on Finkbeiner’s tally for her first points of the season.
Joerger’s goal came after the Lady Knights were able to control play for an extended period and work for three corner kicks and a free kick below the 18 within the first 10 minutes of the match.
23’ Meghan Joerger gets the scoring started with this blast that she ticks under the bar. @SHSgirlssocc 1 @CABravesSoccer 0 pic.twitter.com/odR9qpfvVT
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 6, 2020
Wilmot doubled the advantage when she took a Becky Frank lead and unleashed a turnaround blast less three minutes into the second half.
Finkbeiner added an insurance goal 14 minutes later with her team-leading seventh marker of the season.
57’ Ashley Finkbeiner weaves her way through traffic to give @VarKnightSoccer a3-0 lead pic.twitter.com/5jIvjtvYsT
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 6, 2020
“Once you get that first goal in soccer it starts to open up the doors to where you get more opportunities,” Palumbo noted. “That’s always the toughest: the first goal.”
The win was the third in their last four games with the Lady Knights only setback in their past five coming to crosstown rival, Pittsford-Mendon last time out.
“We came off a really tough game the other night against Mendon, and it took a couple minutes to find our focus. Once we got it, we were able to get our movement back and really talking.”
With the win and one game remaining in their regular season, Sutherland (6-3-1) holds the No. 5 seed in the upcoming Class A tournament.
Since dropping their season opener to Greece Athena, Sutherland’s only other defeats have come at the hands of undefeated Mendon (9-0-0) and Our Lady of Mercy (5-3-0). The win was the second this season over Canandaigua having taken the first decision, 4-0.
Good work from Laura Bennett to create this opportunity. pic.twitter.com/ZuyjqKi629
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 6, 2020
“As long as we keep creating chances, like with the corner kicks and free kicks, hopefully we’ll start knocking on the door and the ball will start going in the back of the net.”
Canandaigua falls to 5-7-0 with the loss – the Braves final game of the regular season.
Samantha Michaud made two saves for the shutout – Sutherland’s fifth clean sheet of the season.
Becky Frank collected an assist on Wilmot’s goal while Allie Finkbeiner had the helper on Jorger’s tally.
Sutherland ends their regular season with a rematch against Mendon on Saturday.
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