By PAUL GOTHAM
FAIRPORT, N.Y. — For forty minutes the Fairport girls’ soccer team held off Spencerport.
A scoreless tie at half offered promise especially after enduring an initial wave of pressure that the Rangers brought.
Then as quick as one could say five-time sectional champions, the course of the game changed.
And the Rangers were on the way to their seventh win in as many outings.
“We’re always trying to take two steps forward,” Spencerport head coach Jamie Schneider after a 2-nil win. “Getting a good result against a team like that is big step for us. Not only the result but the play we had was good on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively.”
Goals from Alyssa Hackett and Aleena Solano in the first five minutes of the second half proved to be the difference in the battle of reigning sectional champs.
“We overall played well and had a good amount of the possession,” Schneider noted. “But you have to have a lot of discipline in soccer and when things don’t go your way, stay positive and keep working hard. Fortunately, we found it. That’s a good result to build off.”
Solano threaded a diagonal ball through Fairport’s backline that Hackett ran on to along the left wing and finished far post. Less than three minutes later, Solano took a feed from teammate Bre DeHond and went up top to beat a lunging Fairport keeper Brigid Mulholland.
Less than two minutes into the second half: Alyssa Hackett takes the diagonal from Aleena Solano and gives @Rangers_GSOC a 1-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/Czz7eOF0Cb
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 22, 2021
After a first half (at least in the latter stages) in which they struggled to create open space, the Rangers had found their rhythm.
“Fairport’s a good team,” Schneider said when discussing how his team was struggling to find passing lanes. “Timing is the most difficult thing in the game, so getting on the same page with everything. We made some adjustments at halftime, and they got the spacing down and the angles. It proved itself in that we were able to get a couple goals.”
Fairport graduated its entire backline from last year’s Class AA championship team including All-County performers Lilian Hicks and Kayla Maxwell. Adding to that the Red Raiders were down two starters Tuesday night.
“The way they came out the first 12 minutes, we weathered a big storm,” Fairport head coach Tom Natalie commented. “We turned it around a little. We went from a two-front to a one-front to try and match what they were in. That settled things down a little bit.”
Brigid Mulholland denies Kendall Mesh. pic.twitter.com/kkQtSYUuaL
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 22, 2021
Opponents can settle things “down a little bit” against Spencerport, but the Rangers are relentless. Schneider has no problem subbing out Hackett (a Division I commit to St. Peter’s) and University of Wyoming commit Lily Brongo at the same time. His squad can maintain the pressure on opponents 15 to 16 players into the lineup.
“They are the strongest team we’ve played in three years from a perspective of being on the same page, athletes all over the place,” Natalie added. “They do a great job with that.”
Hackett’s goal was her fourth of the season.
Solano ran her season totals to six goals and four assists.
Aleena Solano’s turn. Impressive effort from @FCSDSports keeper Brigid Mullholand, but @Rangers_GSOC 2-0. pic.twitter.com/v49ee7iQe0
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 22, 2021
“That ball didn’t go where I wanted it to go, originally, but it still went in,” the sophomore forward said of her goal. “I remember seeing the whole play unfold in slow motion. When Bre (DeHond) passed it to me, all I saw was the defender behind me. I was like I have to run and cut her off.
“As a team, after our first goal everything started falling into place and started getting on the same page and wavelength with each other.”
The shutout was the third in the past four games for a team that has outscored opponents by a combined total of 33-3.
Mulholland made 12 saves.
One of several saves by Brigid Mulholland here in the early going. No score @Rangers_GSOC and @FCSDSports pic.twitter.com/eqP1qqCY59
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 21, 2021
Spencerport hosts Brighton on Thursday for a 5 p.m. start.
Fairport hosts Hilton for a 6:30 p.m. start on Thursday.
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