By PAUL GOTHAM
HILTON, N.Y. — For more than 60 minutes Saturday afternoon, Sierra Bianchi added clips to her personal highlight reel. Hilton’s sophomore keeper denied seven-time sectional champion Spencerport with a series of stops.
A Lindsay Lenhard free kick from 25 yards looked destined for side netting until Bianchi made a sprawling save. Later the Cadet keeper alertly came off her line to again thwart Lenhard before the Spencerport forward was able to unload on a shot inside the 18-yard box.
Then Emma Watson came calling with a pair of attempts. The first Bianchi corralled in her grasp. The second rang the cross bar as the Rangers pressed for an opening.
The performance was such that one knew either an extraordinary effort or a broken play would be needed for a score.
That was the scenario when Lenhard served a ball from the right corner flag. Kendall Mesh, on the back post, kept the play alive with a head ball into the middle of the 18-yard box. Carley Oakden’s volley caromed off a Hilton defender to Solana 12 yards from the goal.
“It got a little bit mixed up,” Solano said of the play. “It somehow got to my feet.”
With a pair of Cadets converging, Solano didn’t have time to settle the ball. She wheeled and connected.
Bianchi was trying to recover from the previous attempts and was caught flat-footed on the line.
“It got in,” Solano said. “I don’t know how. It might have hit a couple feet along the way. It felt good to see it in the back of the net.”
68’ Sixth corner kick of the afternoon pays dividends. Aleena Solana gives @Rangers_GSOC a 1-nil lead. pic.twitter.com/xvi29OB5LN
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 9, 2023
Coming on the Rangers sixth corner kick attempt of the day, Solano’s marker was her third this season and the difference as Spencerport (4-0) edged Hilton, 1-0.
“It got a little frustrating, for sure,” Solano said. “Especially when we come off a half where we feel like we possessed a lot, but we just couldn’t figure it out in the final third. We knew after halftime we had to come back twice as strong and keep up the mentality because we knew it was coming. Especially toward the end of the game.”
The shutout was the fourth in as many games for Spencerport. Keeper Cate Burns wasn’t really tested until the final five minutes of the contest.
And a scoreless tie looked like a possibility until Solano found the back of the net.
Fantastic save by Sierra Bianchi to deny Lindsay Lenhard. pic.twitter.com/kQnL52Jmt4
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 9, 2023
“We don’t like ties. We do everything in our power to make sure that doesn’t happen. Whether it’s scoring in the beginning, scoring at the end or in overtime, we need to get the tie out of the way.”
Spencerport will host Aquinas for a 7 PM start on Monday.
Hilton (3-1) welcomes Fairport for a similar 7 PM kickoff on Monday.
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