By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — Madison Mastrodonato converted the clinching penalty kick, and Churchville-Chili girls’ soccer (15-3-1) advanced to the state quarterfinals.
After playing to a one-all draw and being declared Section V Class AA Co-Champs with Spencerport (16-1-2), the Saints extended their season with a 4-2 advantage in the shootout.
Churchville will appear in the New York State Far West Regional for the first time since 2003.
“I knew that this was something that we could achieve,” said C-C head coach Brooke Elnicky. “It was just a matter of having the team believe in themselves as well. When we were down one-nothing at halftime, I think we realized it wasn’t what Spencerport was doing, but what we weren’t doing.”
Trailing 1-nil, Shavonne Callahan leveled the match with 17:52 remaining in regulation.
Shavonne Callahan nets the equalizer with 17:52 remaining in regulation. @CCCSDgsoccer pic.twitter.com/tRCX5ZwbOT
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 2, 2025
“We made some adjustments and some changes to what we were doing to be able to get ourselves at one-one.”
Callahan one-timed a pass from teammate Hailey Hotaling for her third goal of the season.
The play started when Hotaling stepped in front of a clearing attempt along the left side 50 yards away from goal and slotted a diagonal ball into the 18-yard box that Callahan took off the bounce and found the back of the net with a right-footed strike.
That the Saints had a chance to get into overtime was due in large part to Tessa Wood who made a pair of game-saving stops.
“It was just continuing the battle as a team,” the senior keeper said. “Just doing what we had to do to keep the ball out of the net and continue to fight for the rest of the game.”
With Spencerport leading 1-nil, the Rangers Emily Peacock won a foot race with Hotaling and for little more than five yards had a breakaway. Wood alertly came off her line and took away the angle from the Spencerport forward.
Then with the game knotted and less than a minute remaining in regulation, Spencerport’s Liana Tata unleashed a blast from 20 yards out. Woods went airborne and tipped the shot off the post.
Spencerport’s goal was the first Wood had allowed during sectionals. She made six saves in the game.
“She leads by example,” Elnicky said of her senior captain. “She sets the tone at games and at practice every single day. I knew without a doubt that she would have at least one save in those PKs, and she did.”
Tata sparked the Spencerport attack in the closing minutes of regulation and into overtime. After the shot at the end of regulation, the senior midfielder also worked for a corner kick midway through the first overtime. On the ensuing play, she drew a foul for a free kick from 20 yards out.
A four-year starter with the Rangers, Tata leaves behind a high school career having played on four sectional champions including the 2023 team that went unbeaten and untied in winning the state title.
“She’s tremendous,” Spencerport head coach Jamie Schneider said of the University of Buffalo commit. “She’s had a great career and obviously very proud of her.”
Spencerport won both regular season meetings between the two teams by counts of 4-1 and 3-1.
The title is the fourth in Churchville program history and first since 2004.
“They just don’t play with each other, they play for each other,” Elnicky said of her squad. “They truly play for each other. In a high-pressure situation, in a close game – a sectional championship game – that is ultimately what allowed them to be successful with those PKs.”
Hotaling, Elise Faix and Mercy Payne also converted PKs for Churchville.
C-C will play in the state quarterfinal for the first time since 2003 when the Saints, under then coach Nancy Thornton, beat Section VI champion Williamsville North, 1-0.
Blakely Thornton scored the lone Spencerport goal on one of the Rangers’ 10 corner kicks for the game.
With the co-championship, Spencerport has 10 straight titles. The Rangers have won eight regional and three state championships during this stretch.
“We played a good game and so did Churchville,” Schneider said. “You go down as co-champs. Those are the rules, but obviously when your season doesn’t go on, you have mixed feelings. You know, you’re not going to practice on Monday.”
*Recap has been updated.
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