By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — Considering Fairport and Penfield had played to a pair of scoreless draws during the season, going to extra-time was pretty much expected on Thursday night.
A dozen rounds of penalty kicks to determine which team advances to the state tournament? Few could have seen that taking place.
Liv Wittman converted what proved to be the deciding penalty kick, and Cece Crane’s save clinched a spot in the New York State Class AAA quarterfinals for Penfield (7-4-5).
“I kept trying and trying,” Crane said. “It felt amazing, and just getting a touch, even if it was the smallest touch, I still got it, and it just felt great.”
With that stop, Penfield advanced to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2021.
“We’ve been leading up to this all season long,” said first-year Penfield head coach Kevin Stewart. “We knew we had to just keep working. “They had a good goal, but we got organized, started pressuring the ball, and it was just a matter of time before we got one in to.”
Trailing 1-nil, Penfield’s Gianna Ciavarri scored with 17:05 remaining in regulation to send the game to extra-time.
The Patriots worked for a corner kick, and Ciavarri took advantage of a second-ball chance to connect on the equalizer.
“We preach about that you can’t allow dead balls this time of the year, especially when you have two evenly-matched teams,” said Fairport head coach Tom Natalie. “You cannot give up corner kicks and direct kicks because that’s what happens.”
The teams were scoreless through two 15-minute extra-time sessions, and the contest was called a draw.
Players from the opposing sides combined to convert on the first 18 penalty kicks taken.
“They had my back and I had their backs,” Crane said of her teammates continuing to score. “Just being able to stay with them and do my part, even if it was the smallest part.”
There was a brief delay after 10 rounds of PKs while officials referred to the rule book to determine the proper course of action going forward.
Wittman’s clincher was her second make.
And Crane’s save?
“She just made a great read,” Natalie said of the opposing keeper. “I mean, that shot was right in the corner. It wasn’t a bad shot. It was just a good save.”
Charly Sisson scored less than five minutes into the second half to give Fairport a 1-nil lead.
Penfield had an 11-10 advantage in PKs.
The Patriots will face either Lancaster or West Seneca in the state quarterfinals.
“We’re going to do some scouting this weekend,” Stewart said. “But we’re going to enjoy this right now. Enjoy this first and then on to the next thing.”
Both sides were declared co-champions. For Penfield, it was the sixth in program history. Fairport (5-7-4) now has four straight titles and 11 overall.
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