Thinned ranks

Sullivan West overcomes loss of players to edge Liberty in division fray

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY - The last thing Sullivan West coach Mike Ellmauer needed to hear on September 27 was that three of his players were suspended for disciplinary reasons on the day of a key league match up with Liberty.

What led to the suspension of three soccer players, and as many as five football players is not germane here. Suffice it to say that kids have to learn about the consequences for their actions that can often impact the people they would least like to hurt, including teammates who have to face added challenges.

Ellmauer’s girls did that and more. In the second half of the game, the team sustained the loss of sweeper Laura Stabbert, who went down with an ankle injury.

Ellmauer refers to Stabbert as “The Rock of Gibraltar,” alluding to her tenacious defense that often sends a team’s threatening rushes 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

Facing the adversity of the loss of one of his key defenders against a Liberty team with a great potential strike force in forwards Jasmine Walizadeh, Michelle Fancher and Brittany Austin, Ellmauer inserted Lindsey Murphy in her stead.

Murphy, who Ellmauer referred to as “a gamer,” did a tremendous job of filling in for Stabbert and Sullivan West marshaled the pressure it needed in the second half that led to its 2-1 win.

Liberty coach Ashlea Prouty had her own issues to deal with. Prior to the game, senior Brittany Melchick reported in sick. That required Prouty to insert eighth grader Paulina Kleinberger in her stead. Kleinberger is a veteran of Liberty United U-15’s undefeated run this summer but her diminutive size put her at a disadvantage against Sullivan West’s larger midfielders.

Things got dicier for Liberty with the loss of junior Sam Panagakos in the early going to a knee injury as Liberty found itself playing with thinned ranks in a game that could have significance down the line when it comes to qualifying for sectionals.

The game looked ragged at first as neither team was effective with its passes. Handballs and illegal throw-ins had the ball in a constant state of reversal.

Sullivan West’s Melanie Kleiner got off the game’s first shot about a minute and a half in. An early rush by Walizadeh and Fancher was turned aside by Stabbert.

With the loss of Panagakos five and a half minutes in, Liberty had to regroup. Maggie Sauchuck was covering a lot of ground and turned back a number of Sullivan West’s runs midfield.

Kleiner had another shot opportunity at Liberty keeper Sara Hazelnis at 31:44.

Liberty’s Miranda Hardy returned the favor firing at Sullivan West keeper Stephanie Meyer.

Hardy sent another ball ahead to Austin at 21:57 that sailed wide. Liberty was getting its chances but just couldn’t finish.

A breakdown in Liberty’s defense led to a breakaway by Sullivan West striker Jessica Corbett, but the shot sailed wide. Corbett was going to continue to be a threat as the game progressed. Using her speed and her quick reaction to head up field when one of her players won a ball, she was tough to contain.

Sullivan West kept up the heat.

Murphy sent one ahead to Corbett, who had a good angle on Hazelnis but fired wide right at 13:10.

Liberty had a great chance a minute later as speedy Walizadeh headed up the left sideline and crossed to the middle. Meyer came out and Walizadeh’s shot was turned aside at the last second by a mindful Donna Kelly.

The end-to-end flow continued as Kleiner broke out and sent one ahead to Corbett, who missed again.

Stabbert went down with under five minutes to go and the teams concluded the half with a scoreless tie.

Sullivan West’s strength in the midfield solidified as the second half got underway. The Lady Dawgs got heads-up play from Ella McDonald, Jessica Armstrong, Katrina Graby, Stevie VanWagenen and Kelly, as Liberty had trouble sustaining its forward movement.

When Walizadeh broke loose, she was mostly turned to the outside. When she did shoot, it was directly at Meyer. Fancher, who is one of Liberty’s biggest threats, had trouble getting on track and didn’t fire a single shot on goal.

After a goal kick from Liberty, Sarah Lander fronted the ball and kept it in. That sent a flurry of Sullivan West players toward the net. Kelly had a shot that hit the post and Corbett poked it at Hazelnis, who had it in her hands but dropped it.

Sullivan West took a 1-0 lead with 33:48 to go. Armstrong was credited with the assist.

But Liberty answered right back at 27:22 as Walizadeh got loose again taking advantage of a mix up in Sullivan West’s defense and headed unabated towards the goal. She beat Meyer with a shot to the back right end of the net to tie the score at 1-1.

Both teams had their chances.

Liberty’s Georgia Siegel fired one at 21:59 and Corbett fired one back two minutes later. The Lady Dawgs had a direct kick triggered by a Liberty hand ball, but Kelly’s shot sailed wide.

In the subsequent sequence, Kleinberger was called for a hand ball in the box and Corbett drilled a penalty kick by Hazelnis with 15:27 to make it 2-1.

Ellmauer, worried that his team would play back on their heels and become too defensive-minded, called out, “We play defense going forward.”

Lander proved to be an unstoppable force when it came to Liberty’s waning attempts to get the ball in position for a shot. She strongly booted back any ball that came her way.

Liberty’s woes continued as Caity Baker went down with an injury to her shin and left the game with 3:24 to go. Liberty had one more rush in them as Hardy sent one ahead to Walizadeh but Meyer gathered in the shot to end the threat.

Relieved at the fact that they had recorded a division win, the Sullivan West team gathered with their coach after shaking hands with the Liberty team.

“We had a lot of adversity, missing four of our starters. You played hard. It may not have been our prettiest game but we’ll take the win,” he said.

The victory evened Sullivan West’s league record at 2-2, while its overall record improved to 3-7.

Liberty fell to 1-2 in the Division and 3-6 overall.

Prouty put the loss in perspective. “They’re really coming together as a team,” she said referring to the Lady Indians. “This was the best game we’ve played this year. It’s always hard to lose a game on a penalty kick.”