Niskayuna vs. Shenendehowa: Silver Warriors open with 3-1 win

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It was only one game, worth one point in the Suburban Council, but Niskayuna girls’ soccer coach Bryce Colby was more than glad to come away with a 3-1 win at Shenendehowa on Tuesday.

“It’s one point we picked up, and we’ve got to do more of that. It’s a long season,” he said. “But I

am pleased with the way we played.”

Anka Parzych scored two goals, and Meghan Doyle had a goal and an assist for the Silver Warriors. Kristen Connors got the Shenendehowa goal.

Parzych opened the scoring 10 minutes in, putting home her second chance after Shenendehowa goalkeeper Makala Foley got a hand on her first attempt. Doyle set up the goal by beating the defense on the left flank.

Doyle made it 2-0 10 minutes later, again breaking in on the left after taking a pass from midfielder Hailey Golub.

“It’s big win, to win over here. It’s amazing to get our first win, at Shen,” said Parzych, who also converted a Golub corner kick in the closing minutes.

“Anka is such a great foil for Meghan,” said Colby. “Together, they’re an interesting pair. Players who are going to finish goals, finish with both feet. They can both play lefty and righty, and finish every which way.”

Connors, one of just five seniors on the Shenendehowa roster, felt her team didn’t start playing until it was down two goals.

“I just think we weren’t ready right away in the first half,” said the Shenendehowa co-captain. “They got those two early goals, then we started playing our game.

“After we got scored on, we picked it up. We started connecting our passes. We just got unlucky. We had some chances.”

Maria Wright, who ran the team with fellow assistant coach Ellie Doin as head coach Holli Muholland sat out a school-imposed one-game suspension, agreed.

“I think that when we got the ball to each other, we did some nice things,” she said.

“Going down against Niskayuna, it’s always tough to come back. I’m pleased that they came back and got a goal, and kept working to try to get more. I just wished that we could have tied it up. I think if we had tied it up, the outcome could have been different.”

Jordynn Miller came on and picked up the team’s energy, and assisted on Connors’ goal.

“Once we put in Jordynn, things changed,” said Doin. “It started in the first half, and continued in the second half. We did a better job of connecting passes. And we weren’t silent on the field.”

Colby substituted liberally, playing all 20 available players. Defender Sophia Constantine played all 80 minutes, and Colby kept Parzych, Doyle and midfielder Madison McPartlon on the field as much as he could.

“This might not be the best team I’ve ever had, but it’s by far the deepest,” he said. “If we could play 19 on a side, we’d be amazing.

“Everyone played at least 10 minutes. I played two different sweepers. And this was an important game, especially playing here.”

That gave some of the less-heralded players a chance to shine.

“Hailey Golub had a huge game,” Colby said. “She’s always been beat up coming into the season, but this year, she’s healthy.

“She makes a difference. She’s a tiger. She had a vital role in what we did today, especially with Jenny Cascino out. We were able to slow their counters because Hailey was there.”

Fellow junior Kelly Hartledge also turned in a solid two-way game.

“She’s dangerous because she’s so strong and fast and powerful,” Colby said. “And she did a good job coming back and playing the ball, getting it behind the defense.

“I’ve got a lot of options. You’re going to see a lot of different things this year.”

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Categories: High School Sports