The Catskill Chronicle

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

LIVINGSTON MANOR vs. ELDRED GIRL’S VARSITY SOCCER 9/15/09

[LIVINGSTON MANOR] – The life of a goalie ain’t easy, ain’t no bed of roses. You’re either getting bloodied in the cage making saves, or standing all alone out there with the world watching as shots on goal slip past you for a score.

On Tuesday, the home team Lady Wildcats of Livingston Manor (1-0 OCIAA, 2-1-1 overall) hosted the Eldred Lady Yellow Jackets (0-1 OCIAA, 1-6 overall) in a girl’s varsity soccer match, the first league game of the season for both teams. By the end of 80 minutes of regulation competition, Manor walked off the field with a 9-2 victory.

Back to the box.

Eldred’s goalie Angela Trotti made 10 saves during the Lady Wildcats 9-2 win over Eldred.

Whoever said that being a keeper is certifiably crazy, or at the very least has never been in the box facing a storm of shots on goal.

In the wake of the match, Manor’s goal keeper Angela Trotti emerged bruised, bloody yet unbowed by all the bumps and scraps endured guarding the net, shrugging off a dinged hand, banged up toe and a lacerated leg.

“We came out flat in the first half, but was really impressed with the girls in the second half,” said the17-year old senior. “This is our field, this is how we play…we’re going to have to improve our season if we’re going to sectionals.”

Eldred went through a couple of keepers during the match as 11th grader Diana Schombs watched over the cage in the first frame, and Jill Harris, a senior, took over as goalie in the second half.

Manor’s Marissa Diescher scores the final goal of the match at 39:25, She scored five goals during the Lady Wildcats 9-2 romp over the visiting Lady Yellow Jackets of Eldred.

Manor’s Marissa Diescher, a 16-year old junior was her team’s top gun for the afternoon as she scored five of the Lady Wildcats nine goals. “We have really good passing, so it’s not like just a one person game,” she said.

Manor scored three consecutive goals in the first 15 minutes of the match as Christine Babich scored on a direct kick, followed by a couple of rapid fire goals by Diescher to put the home team up 3-0.

Eldred got right back into the game with two back-to-back goals, the first by Meaghan Hazen on a direct kick, followed up Sam Ferguson scoring from outside the box.

The Lady Wildcats returned to the fray with two more goals in the first half, on goals by Maggie Calo and Diescher to make it a 5-2 game at halftime.

In the second half, the scoring was all Manor: Calo off an assist by Diescher. Diescher, Samantha Scott, a 9th grader with her first varsity goal off an assist from Diescher, and Diescher with the final goal of the match at 39:25.

Eldred’s Lauren Hazen settles the ball for a pass.

“I though we started out very strong, especially our back-to-back goals in the first half,” said Kelly Robertson, coach of the Lady Yellow Jackets. “I was really impressed with their ability to adapt and play strong,” she added, noting several of her booters are playing out of their normal slots on the field.

In the loss to Manor, a couple of Eldred players score their first goals of the soccer season.

Manor’s Nicole Lair and Eldred’s Heather Ouellette contest possession, flanked by Eldred booters Kim Elvin and Meaghan Hazen.

“I was playing against Tuxedo, and took five shots but none of them went in,” recalled 16-year old 11th grader Meaghan Hazen. Asked what she likes about the game and what it felt like to get her first goal of the year, Hazen replied, “The rush you get when you’re running…and score. We started out beating Monticello, we just have to get it back again,” she added of her team’s opening the season with a win, but being winless since.

Sam Ferguson is also a 16-year old junior who posted her first goal of the year. “It felt awesome…I’ve been trying for six games with shots on goal, but I got  ucky. “I think we’re trying our hardest,” she said of the season.

Shirlee Davis, veteran coach of the Lady Wildcats and recently appointed athletic director, summed up the match. “I think we came out pretty flat in the first half, and after out halftime chat and some adjustments to what they were supposed to be doing out there, it was a little better in the second half…[but] we have some things to clean up.”

To view more photos or to purchase prints from Manor Tames Eldred 9-2 visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.