By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Savannah Sweet converted on a free kick in the 29th minute, and host Aquinas girls’ soccer (No. 1 NYSSWA Class A) remained undefeated with a 1-nil win over Livonia in non-league action, Friday night.
Sweet connected from 19 yards out for her fifth goal of the season.
29’ Savannah Sweet converts from just outside the 18 to give @AQ__Athletics a 1-nil lead. @secvgirlssoccer pic.twitter.com/zVF5ppNkXE
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 26, 2025
The Li’l Irish (8-0-0), averaging better than five goals per game in their previous seven outings, continued to pressure the Bulldogs throughout the contest but came away empty-handed over the remaining 51 minutes of play.
“They frustrated us,” said Aquinas head coach Adam Schwartz. “They worked hard defensively. They really did.”
Aquinas worked for nine corner kicks in the match without relenting a similar opportunity for Livonia. The Li’l Irish took 15 shots on goal while AQ keeper Briar Hinds made light work of her fifth shutout of the season.
“This was a good match for us to be in, a tight one,” said Schwartz referring to AQ’s most recent wins that came by final scores of 7-0, 8-0 and 6-1. “It had been a couple of games where we got out way ahead. These are good games for us to build as a team and grow as a team.”
Earlier in the week, Livonia (7-1-0/No. 7 NYSSWA Class B) handed Hornell its first loss of the season. The Bulldogs looked intent on dropping AQ from the ranks of the unbeaten while keeping their record intact.
“We tried to stop them from going down the middle,” said Livonia head coach Jen Bugbee. “That’s their thing, that split ball down the middle. The second half we denied that.”
Livonia was successful in getting defenders in front of the ball and forcing Aquinas to take shots from outside the 18-yard box.
“They ‘parked the bus,’ so it was a challenge,” said Schwartz referring to the term used in describing Livonia’s defensive strategy. “At one point, you look and they had all 10 field players in the defensive third.”
Add to that the goalkeeping efforts of Karly Lawton (six saves in the first half) and Gwenyth Strom (eight saves, second half), and Aquinas had all it could do to come away with a win.
“I give them a lot of credit for how prepared they were,” Schwartz said. “It was a good wake-up call for us. We got to come out and compete every night.”
The match also provided Livonia with a much-needed challenge. Friday’s one-goal outcome was Livonia’s second of the season with the other being the previously mentioned 2-1 victory over Hornell.
“I’d rather have these games all day then a 6-nothing, 7-nothing win,” Bugbee said. “That doesn’t prepare you for sectionals. How do you produce and how effective are you in tight games? That’s what matters. These are the games we need to prepare. If you don’t have these games on your schedule, I feel like it’s harder to compete when it comes time for sectionals. We wanted this. This is good. We’ll just go back to work and get ready for the next one.”
Livonia’s Gwenyth Strom stopped eight shots in the second half, none bigger than this one with 2:09 to play. FT: Aquinas 1 Livonia nil @secvgirlssoccer pic.twitter.com/pgdoqsBmHr
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 26, 2025
Livonia travels to Dansville for a Livingston County Athletic Association matchup on Tuesday.
Aquinas travels to Wayne for a non-league matchup on Monday.
*Article has been updated.
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