By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Jaden Deming scored in the 42nd minute, and host Aquinas rallied for a 1-1 draw with Our Lady of Mercy in Private-Parochial League, Tuesday night.
Deming took a pass from teammate Savannah Sweet and found the back of the net from just outside the 6-yard box.
“We’re a very young team,” said Aquinas head coach Adam Schwartz. “We don’t start many seniors, but in saying that we’ve come back four or five times this year. They showed a lot of grit and resilience in that regard.”
The play started with junior midfielder Bella Muratore saving a ball from going over the end line. Muratore cut back with a dribble to beat a Mercy defender and served a cross that Sweet, on the far post, volleyed into the area.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM LAURA ACCIAIO.
Deming, a sophomore, needed two touches to convert her ninth goal of the season.
42’ Bella Muratore keeps the ball live, and Jaden Deming makes good on her teammate’s effort connecting on the equalizer. pic.twitter.com/I6WUwJcdID
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 8, 2024
Aquinas ran its record to 9-2-2 with three games left before the end of the regular season.
“This is what sectionals will be like, these types of matches,” Schwartz said. “It gets you physically prepared for the possibility of overtime, but it also gets you mentally prepared to stay switched on for 80 minutes or a hundred minutes.”
Aquinas keeper Liz Tantalo made eight saves in Tuesday’s game.
Aquinas keeper Liz Tantalo denies Mercy’s Christina Stamoulacatos in the second extra time session. pic.twitter.com/3v2ewdtuSn
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 9, 2024
Aquinas took a 1-nil decision when the two teams met on September 10th.
“We are a very different team than we were then,” said Mercy coach Alex Stryker. “Watching the film, this is not the same team that we were at the start of the season. We got players at better positions now. We have players that are buying into the scheme that we want them to be in.”
Mercy (6-5-1) had won five straight before dropping a 1-nil decision to Greece Athena last Wednesday.
“I’m really proud of all of our girls,” Stryker said. “They battled to the very end. I was very happy with the effort that they put in from the defense all the way to up top. It was not the result that we wanted, but I’m very, very proud of our efforts. I think we should walk off the field with our heads held high.”
The Monarchs took advantage of an own goal to get on the board midway through the first half. An Elizabeth DeHond free kick from 55 yards out was mishandled inside the Aquinas 18-yard box.
Mercy has four more contests before starting sectionals including a matchup with reigning Class C2 Byron-Bergen on Thursday.
“You don’t have to be the best right now, but you have to be the best at the end of the season, and we’re one step closer,” Stryker said.
Bianca Iacovangelo stopped five shots for the Monarchs.
Aquinas hosts Pittsford Sutherland on Thursday night.
“We don’t get overly concerned with our record,” Schwartz said. “The way we approach it is we say we have 16 opportunities before sectionals to get it right. They’re going to be some times where we misstep, lose a match, but it’s about being prepared for when the whistle blows for sectionals. This was a great opportunity, a great match, an unfortunate goal we conceded, but the kids fought back again.”
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