N.Y. Elite nips Medina in playoff semifinals
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Steven Anderson, right, battles with a N.Y. Elite defender to gain control of the ball during this evening’s playoff semifinal game at Lyndonville.
The No. 4 seed New York Elite trimmed top seeded Medina 3-1 in double overtime this evening in the semifinal round of the Buffalo District Soccer League Division 3 playoffs at Lyndonville.
Medina jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Jessie Fergen scored off an assist from Ethan Leonard but could not find the net again.
The Elite battled back to knot the contest with a goal early in the second half.
That 1-1 deadlock stood up through the remainder of regulation time as Medina goalie Brody Fenton made a clutch diving save in the final five minutes.
Neither team could find the net in the first of two 15 minute overtime period.
However, the Elite finally broke that deadlock as Austin Crosby scored what proved to be the game winner at the outset of the second overtime period. The Elite later added an insurance tally with about three minutes remaining.
Medina had nipped the Elite by a narrow 1-0 margin during the regular season.
In its debut season, Medina captured the regular season title with a 9-1-1 record while the N.Y. Elite placed fourth with an 8-3 mark.
Kristian Snyder winds up to take a shot for Medina.
