Vestal strikes twice early, beats Horseheads for STAC girls soccer title

Vestal dominated in the first five minutes of the game and secured a 3-0 victory over Horseheads to claim the Southern Tier Athletic Conference girls soccer championship. The win marked Vestal’s first conference title since 2018 when they shared the crown with Chenango Forks in a 1-1 tie.

Horseheads, on the other hand, was aiming for its first STAC title since 2010 after finishing at the top of the West Division.

Stars of the Game

Ava Schmidt contributed a goal and an assist, while Ariana Lozier and Kara Sullivan also found the back of the net for Vestal. Schmidt opened the scoring just over a minute into the game with a powerful shot, assisted by Jessie LaClair. Lozier added to the lead with a goal in the first half, and Sullivan sealed the victory with a precise strike from 23 yards out, assisted by Schmidt. All three goals were impressive considering they were scored against Horseheads’ talented goalkeeper, Ava Fairbrother.

What It Means

Vestal, with a 15-1 record, has a 15-game winning streak since their season-opening loss to Syracuse Christian Brothers Academy. The Golden Bears, ranked 10th in Class AA in New York, dominated in their 8-0 victory over Oneonta in the STAC semifinals.

Horseheads, coming off a 2-0 win over Owego in the semifinals, saw their six-game winning streak come to an end. They now hold an 11-3-1 record for the season. Interestingly, their first game of the season was a 1-0 overtime loss to Vestal.

According to Schmidt, “We knew Horseheads was a strong and competitive team, but we came prepared and managed to take control of the game early. I’m really proud of what our team has achieved so far.”

Talking title

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Schmidt expressed. “We put in a lot of hard work and it paid off. We entered the game with high intensity and a determination to strike first, and that’s exactly what we did. I’m extremely proud of our team. This is what we’ve been working towards.”

Quotable

Horseheads coach Lee Spencer acknowledged Vestal’s strong team, highlighting Ava Schmidt’s skills and their ability to move the ball effectively. He commended their conditioning and teamwork, as they never slowed down throughout the entire 80 minutes of the game.

Up Next

There is a possibility for a third encounter between these two teams, as they may face each other in the semifinal games on October 21. Vestal, as the top seed in the Section 4 Class AA tournament, will host Union-Endicott, the fourth seed. Horseheads, on the other hand, the second seed, will have a home game against Ithaca.

Spencer believes Horseheads will learn from their mistakes in Friday’s game and have the opportunity to regroup with a few practices and some rest before heading into the sectionals. He noted the physical toll of their packed schedule, emphasizing that they played three games in just four days on three different occasions this season.

By the numbers

Vestal will be aiming for their 13th consecutive sectional title, a streak that started in 2010. Due to COVID, there was no sectional tournament in the 2020-21 school year. Schmidt expressed her excitement for the team’s future endeavors

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