By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Haley Drake is making up for lost time.
After an injury cut short her sophomore season, the junior captain is in full stride this year.
And on Thursday night, the 5-foot-4 attacking mid made sure to finish what she started.
Drake netted a pair of goals as the host Trojans improved to 3-0 with a 3-1 win over Pittsford Mendon.
Less than one minute into the Monroe County Division III matchup she found the back of the net. This after taking the opening kickoff and rushing the ball 40-plus yards into the Mendon end of the field for a shot less than 10 seconds into the contest.
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“Getting momentum to start off,” she said of her mindset to open the game. “Getting a strong start obviously to set the tone.”
She then capitalized on her first open look of the game.
Drake converted a penalty kick for her second goal of the game came with just over four minutes remaining and the Trojans clinging to a one-goal edge.
She played six games last year and finished with eight goals to go with six assists. Athena’s season ended in the semifinals with a 2-1 loss to eventual champion, Spencerport.
Drake’s goals on Thursday were her seventh and eighth of the season.
“She would have made a great deal of a difference for us last year,” said head coach Sal Butera. “We missed her. We missed that speed. We missed that eye of the tiger that she has. She just wants to win so bad.”
Athena graduated 10 players from that team including leading scorer Abby Devine.
The current Trojans’ roster has two seniors.
Thursday’s win over the reigning NYS Class A champions was not lost on Butera.
“If I have to go one on one, they were probably the better team technically,” Butera said of Mendon (4-2). “Their passing, their vision was unbelievable.
“I’m proud of the girls; I really am. It’s a young group. They’re finding themselves. It’s going to take time. Not to take away anything from the seniors last year, but this is a great group. They’re very humble. They work well together. Our practices, it’s not just that they work hard at practice, but they enjoy coming into practice. That’s the difference this year.”
Athena also snapped Mendon’s four-game winning streak.
“It feels great,” Drake said. “It’s also just another game that we have to get passed and move forward from it.”
Ella VanPutte converted on a corner kick in the 50th minute to level the match for Mendon.
Athena responded five minutes later.
Alexis Drake pushed up from the backline and made a rush along the left wing where she delivered a service from deep in the 18-yard box. Hannah Dill redirected the cross for her first goal of the season.
Senior keeper Emilee Montagliano made nine saves. None bigger than a stop of Lily Larimer who took a lead from teammate Jaelyn Rodi and went in 1v1 on Montagliano.
“Em kept us in the game,” Butera said. “It could have been easily 4-3. She’s smart. She’s a hard worker. She’s probably one of the top keepers in Monroe County.”
The same two teams meet on Saturday, October 4th at Mendon’s Thornell Farm Park.
Athena travels to Pittsford Sutherland next Wednesday for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
Mendon hosts Greece Arcadia also next Wednesday. That is slated as well for a 7 p.m. start.
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