SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Through five games, the Saratoga Springs girls lacrosse team — the defending Section 2 Class A champion — was a perfect, 5-0, until Saturday afternoon.
The campaign’s start included a pair of overtime and double-overtime finishes, ending in wins for the Blue Streaks to remain unbeaten. However, the cardiac kids ran out of luck this weekend, as visiting Bethlehem broke an 8-8 tie with 10 seconds remaining in double-overtime to nab its first win.
“I think it was a game of luck today. We had — between the two overtimes — four shots on that goal, one that could have ended it but it hit the post. We had Faith Britton, who took a beautiful feed, unfortunately, missed a little bit high. But, you know, it is what it is,” Blue Streaks head coach Jennifer Furze said, postgame. “It’s a game of luck sometimes, and I think that we played a really hard game. I think we did a great job in overtime, maintaining possessions and it just didn’t go our way today.”
Eagles’ sophomore Brianna Fabian netted the golden goal, with senior teammate Caroline Marotta helping lead a surge back from down 5-2 in the third quarter, with four goals in the contest.
“Everyone just came together and rallied behind each other. There were a lot of mistakes we made in the first two (quarters), but we battled and we battled hard and we finished strong,” Fabian said, out-of-breathe postgame.
It wasn’t solely the offense leading the Eagles back from the brink of a 0-5 start to the season, as after allowing that fifth goal, less than two minutes out of intermission, the team’s defense, along with junior goalie Madeline Ward, would limit the Blue Streaks to a mere three more scores, across the remaining 28-minutes of play.
“Defense did a great job today. We worked hard all week in practice to front the cutters and we did a great job because Carly Wise is just an amazing player. She’s so versatile and we did a great job on defense stopping that,” Fabian said.
“[That win] sets the tone for the season and it’s just really exciting,” she continued, “it’s a good thing to rally behind.”
Wise, a senior committed to NCAA Division-I Clemson University, netted four on Saturday, including the score to take an 8-7 lead in the fourth quarter, with 2:29 remaining. Wise started the day with two goals in the first half, to help put her team up 4-2 at intermission, after starting the game down 1-0 through the opening quarter.
“Carly does a beautiful job off the draw, gaining the possession and then slowing it down. I think that our girls do a nice job communicating with one another and making cuts,” Furze said. “[Bethlehem] did a nice job shutting down the feeds today, so it was tough.”
Junior and Holy Cross commit Janie Baringer potted a pair for the Blue Streaks, with senior Emery Judge and freshman McKenzie Laurin each finding the back of the net once a piece. In goal, junior Jenna Amodio saved 18 shots.
While the Blue Streaks would’ve rather kept the unbeaten streak alive and remained perfect in one-score-affairs, Furze understands there is something to be gained from such contests, win-or-lose.
“I think we grew defensively a lot today. Our defensive unit, we’ve got a couple of young members on it and they’re starting to really connect and find, slide early, and things like that,” Furze said. “I think it humbles us a little bit and teaches us we do have some room for growth and to work on those possessions and turnovers.”
Furze is in the midst of her second season at the helm of Saratoga Springs, after a certainly memorable year one, in which she and the team went 14-6, beating top-seeded Shenendehowa in the Sectional Tournament semifinals before eventually hoisting the championship plaque with an 8-5, win over Shaker.
“Last year was definitely a learning curve for me and we were very successful,” Furze said. “This year, we’re just trying to continue and set a record here of winning two Sectional Championships in a row.”
Now 5-1 in the 2024 campaign, Saratoga Springs will look to get back on the winning track Monday, at 4:30 p.m., with a non-league matchup at Queensbury.
“For us, it’s all about building connections. I feel like if we have connections off the field, it shows on the field and this is a really great group of girls. They’re really hard workers and they’re good friends, so I think that helps,” Furze said.
“I don’t think they take anything for granted and I feel like they know that they have to give 110% with all of these teams, it’s a really tough Section to be playing in, there’s a lot of great lacrosse happening, and, they’re ready to work for it.”
