By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Early in Thursday’s non-league matchup, Sienna Fallone moved the ball along the middle third into opposing territory when she lost possession. Seconds later and a few yards in the opposite direction, the Aquinas midfielder fought back and regained the ball.
The play did not directly lead to a goal, but a tone was set for the remainder of the contest.
If Aquinas hadn’t already established it, the Li’l Irish were going to allow little if any breathing room for the Byron-Bergen Bees on this night.
That Fallone, AQ’s leading scorer, made this play came as little surprise to Adam Schwartz.
“That’s a part of her game that gets totally overlooked by most people,” he said after Aquinas defeated Byron-Bergen, 6-1. “She’s probably one of our best defenders. She’s willing to do the hard work.”
And when your top scorer is dictating that level of effort, others follow the lead.
“If our best player is working that hard, it sets the standard,” Schwartz said of Fallone, a Dartmouth University commit who trained this past summer with U-16 national team. “You’re going to meet that standard or get left behind, so to speak.”
On Thursday night, Aquinas met the standard.
Julianna Shannon netted a hat trick. Fallone, Bella Muratore and Ava Barbone added a goal apiece as the Li’l Irish improved to 5-and-O on the season.
Shannon scored less than a minute into the game, and the Li’l Irish didn’t relent raining nine shots on goal in the opening half to take a 4-nil lead into the break.
The intensity came as a result of a pre-game discussion.
“I always talk with the girls beforehand to have them involved in the decision-making,” Schwartz said. “I asked do we want to play with a mid-block? Or a high-block? They were all in on the high press. That was their choice. They went after it.”
After forcing a turnover, Samantha Marmo pushed the ball along the right flank before serving a cross that Shannon one-timed from just outside the 6-yard box.
10’ Bella Muratore takes a short feed from Sienna Fallone and goes upper 90 to give @aqgvs a 2-nil lead. @AQ__Athletics pic.twitter.com/ZcV1e8lKuY
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 18, 2025
37’ Big ball out of the back from Vivi Oliveri. Sienna Fallone wins battle up top and gives @aqgvs a 4-nil lead. @AQ__Athletics pic.twitter.com/jKpVkNzyro
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 18, 2025
“That was a back-breaker,” Schwartz said. “Then you’re chasing the game. Last year, we lost to them 2-1 at their place. They scored the first goal, and we were chasing the game.
“Tonight, we didn’t want to chase the game. We wanted to get ahead and then we could dictate the play from there.”
Ten minutes later, Fallone led Muratore for an upper-90 strike from 23 yards out. Barbone took advantage of a second-chance opportunity to find the back of the net. Fallone connected on her 11th goal of the season with 3:33 left in the half to give Aquinas a 4-nil lead heading into the break.
“We really like high-pressing,” Fallone said. “We like to put other teams on their heels, like to stress them out. We think we have fast-paced players who can win the ball off the feet of the opponent. As a team, we decided that we could be really dangerous in a high press. We are really happy with our decision.”
AQ’s defense was also able to limit the number of touches that Byron-Bergen’s Mia Gray received.
“When it came to her, we were zonal marking,” Schwartz said of Gray – a University of Florida commit who is Section V’s career active scoring leader with 160 goals. “We always wanted to have an awareness of where she was on the pitch, but we’re not ruining our shape to chase her around. That’s where the communication comes in.”
Gray scored the Bees’ lone goal in the 68th minute.
“She’s a great player,” Schwartz said. “To contain a great player, that’s the goal. She had one opportunity, and she finished it. That’s what great players do.”
68’ Mia Gray gets Byron-Bergen on the board. @secvgirlssoccer pic.twitter.com/fipoFboFaw
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 19, 2025
Gray finished with 40 goals and 25 assists a year ago in leading Byron-Bergen to the NYSPHSAA Class C championship – the first state title in program history.
Thursday’s matchup gave the Bees (5-1) a chance to prepare for another postseason run.
“I don’t care if we win or lose,” said head coach Wayne Hill. “Playing a team like this is what is going to make us better. I’ll play them any day even if it’s a similar result and it gets us ready for sectionals.”
The Bees were able to limit Aquinas to one goal through the first 35 minutes of the second half.
“We made some good halftime adjustments where we stopped worrying about the outside ball,” Hill said. “It was causing us to get pulled out further than we needed and opened up the middle.
“We learned that you have to play for 80 minutes. They started getting a little upset with themselves in the first half. Then they realized it wasn’t working. That’s the angst of staring down the first loss of the season.”
Elizabeth Starowitz accounted for an assist on Gray’s goal. Bees’ keeper, Rylee Burch made 13 saves.
Vivi Oliveri, Savannah Sweet and Muratore each had an assist for the Li’l Irish. Briar Hinds stopped two shots on goal in the win.
Byron-Bergen will host Kendall in Genesee Region game next Tuesday. A 7:00 p.m. kickoff is scheduled.
Aquinas will welcome Nardin Academy of the Buffalo area Monsignor Martin Athletic Association for a noon start on Saturday.
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