Lady Eagles win Class C2 semifinal thriller

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall goalie Brooke Rodas goes up to make a key late save to preserve the Lady Eagles 3-2 Section V Class C2 semifinal win over Cal-Mum this evening at East Rochester.

All of the scoring came in a wild sea-saw second half as top seeded Kendall trimmed No. 5 Caledonia-Mumford 3-2 in the semifinals of the Section V Class C2 girls soccer tournament this evening at East Rochester.

Kendall’s Alea Barrett knocks in a rebound shot for a goal during the wild second half scoring spree by the Lady Eagles and Lady Raiders.

Cal-Mum ignited what turned out to be a burst of 5 goals in a span of just 14, minutes when Ava Amorese tallied at the 28 minute mark of the second half to snap a scoreless deadlock.

However, Kendall answered right back with the equalizer a minute later as Alea Barrett scored on a rebound off an initial shot by Ava Quintern as a direct kick by Sophia Picardo started the play and the sea-saw battle was on.

Cal-Mum regained a 2-1 lead three minutes later on a goal by McKenna Watson but again Kendall answered right back with the equalizer five minutes later on a goal by Quintern reknotting the contest at 2-2.

Keeping the momentum, Kendall finally took the lead for the first time at 3-2 as Ryleigh Denning scored what proved to be the game winner five minutes later off a corner by Picardo with 14:47 remaining.

Kendall goalie Brooke Rodas then preserved the lead and the victory with a big save in the final four minutes.

Improving to 18-1, Kendall will now face Genesee Region League foe Byron-Bergen in the C2 championship game at 7:45 p.m. Friday at Gates-Chili.

Byron-Bergen, which handed Kendall its only loss during the regular season by a narrow 2-1 margin, downed Genesee Valley-Belfast 6-1 in the other semifinal.

Kendall’s Ava Quintern makes a move on Cal-Mum defender Elizabeth Perry.