MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNY Polytechnic Women's Soccer Team (8-9-2, 7-4-1 NEAC) finished the regular season on Saturday with a 0-0 tie against Cazenovia (8-9-2, 6-5-1 NEAC). The Wildcats earned the #5 seed in the upcoming NEAC Tournament, and will be traveling either to Keuka or Lancaster Bible College for the tournament quarterfinals.
As Saturday's game was also the final home game of the season, the team took a moment prior to the game to honor lone senior and recent SUNY Polytechnic career goals record-setter Kristina Strang (Rotterdam, N.Y. / Schalmont).
Strang would end the game as she began it, with 38 goals for her career (5 more than the previous record of 33). It wasn't for a lack of chances, however, as Saturday's score belied an exciting game. SUNY Poly out shot Cazenovia 25 to 16 for the game, and each team had several close chances.
Among those chances for SUNY Poly were a Strang shot that missed just wide of the right post early in the first half, along with an excellent feint by Corrina Marconi (Rochester, N.Y. / Gates-Chili) that set the freshman up for an open left-footer that also missed just wide.
For Cazenovia the team's best chance came later in the half on a chaotic play that involved three different tries for the visiting team. The Wildcat defense came up big on the play, with Alexa Yousey (Castorland, N.Y. / Lowville) making one save and the SUNY Poly defense making the others, including a block by Hannah Kristof (Homer, N.Y. / Homer).
In the second half Briana Bailey had a favorable one-on-one matchup with an oncoming Yousey, but her rolled shot to the far side missed the post.
Wildcat defenders Alicia Wittman (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy) and Erica Maisonet (Walkill, N.Y. / Walkill) both played excellent games in helping to preserve the shutout. The latter also almost ended the game with just under 4 minutes to go in the final overtime period, lacing a shot from deep that the Cazenovia keeper had to time perfectly, tipping it over the crossbar.
Both keepers played well on the day. Yousey finished with 5 saves, while Kara Locey had 11 for Cazenovia.
The Wildcats will now await the official NEAC seedings for the conference tournament, but should be headed to either Keuka or Lancaster Bible College.
