Wednesday Roundup: Mess nets quick go-ahead goal for Lady Lions to avenge Monday OT loss to Hornell with 2-1 win in OT at B-R

Wellsville senior Jaylynn Mess, middle, provides a head on the ball, as Bolivar-Richburg senior Paityn Johnston (2) looks on during Wednesday night’s contest in Bolivar. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg junior McKinlee Harris, middle, dribbles the ball down field while under pressure from the defense of Wellsville sophomores Hailey Lanphier (21), and Mackenzie Cowburn (19) during Wednesday night’s home contest in Bolivar. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville junior Emily Robbins (2) and Bolivar-Richburg junior Allison Zilker (20) race after the loose ball during Wednesday night’s contest in Bolivar. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville sophomore Kaylie Fuller, left, and Bolivar-Richburg freshman Cassidy Stives, right, race after the loose ball during Wednesday night’s contest in Bolivar. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg senior Raina Bowen (8) provides a boot on the ball, sending it downfield during Wednesday night’s home contest against Wellsville, in Bolivar. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

BOLIVAR — Although Monday’s game against Hornell came down to the waning seconds of play, it was declared a loss after the Lady Red Raiders found the back of the net to take the edge over the Lady Lions.

Wellsville head coach Erica Aftuck said that even though it was a game they were on the wrong side of, it was a win in her book in what was deemed a massive confidence builder.

“Even though we lost, the girls really got a big boost of confidence from that game,” she said. “It proved that we can compete with anyone, and it changed the outlook of our season. We got beat by Dansville and that got the girls down a little bit, and that's the team we have to play in Sectionals. Everyone walked away from that game thinking that kind of game wasn't any fun. But I don't know what hit the girls, but they came out and they put on a show to stay right with Hornell.”

That confidence was put to the test once more when they hit the road to take on Bolivar-Richburg on Wednesday, as they fought tooth and nail up and down the field in midfield battle all throughout the night.

Wellsville would start and finish the first half with the lead, but the host Lady Wolverines would find their way back in the game to force another extra session upon the Lady Lions — their third overtime game of the season.

But this time around, Jaylynn Mess made sure the team remained confident.

The Lady Lions senior stepped up to the plate to provide one last lead change just over a minute into the first overtime, as she took a beautifully placed pass from the foot of Emily Robbins, and knocked the ball away to the far post to break the deadlock permanently while the defense, from that point forward, kept the Lady Wolverines off the board for good to secure a 2-1 overtime win at Dunsmore-Latimer Field.

“We’re in good shape, and we kept our composure. There are teams that can panic a little bit, but we didn’t panic,” Aftuck said. “We had some great opportunities, the passing was beautiful, but we still have to clean up some of our finishing touches. Bolivar-Richburg is a great team, and one of my biggest concerns was them coming out and chipping the ball over our heads and then going on the run with it. But our defense was quick in the back end, and they were really prepared for the challenge.”

For much of the early-going in the first half, the Lady Wolverines applied the pressure on Wellsville with multiple chances deep in the offensive zone, with perhaps their best on goal coming from a pair of near-breakaway rushes by McKinlee Harris, but could not find a way to cash in on the golden chances.

After a pause in the action saw the lights go out on the field for approximately 20 minutes, the game resumed with under 10 minutes left in the half. That allowed Bolivar-Richburg to pick up where they left off with another chance by Harris, who provided a shot that was deflected up and onto the field goal crossbar.

But through it all, the Lady Lions (2-4) found a way to get on the board first, beginning after a throw-in that lands on Emily Costello’s feet. After a series of passes towards the middle of the Bolivar-Richburg goal, the play eventually gets dropped back to Makenzie Cowburn from 35 yards away.

From there, the Lady Lions sophomore used her leg to pummel a high lofting shot on goal, where it ultimately sails past Malayna Ayers in goal to give the team a 1-0 lead at the break. Mess would be credited with the assist on the goal, which would start her three-point night.

“She has a bomb, and all season and in practices, I’ve said to Makenzie to slide up to that space, and shoot the ball when she got her chance. She’s told me before that she didn’t think she could be able to do it, and I told her that she could. And she did, and it was a beautiful goal.” said Aftuck.

That goal would hold for Wellsville going into the second half, as the midfield battle continued to rage on. But Bolivar-Richburg (2-2) would tie the game with a goal from Harris to tie the game just over 10 minutes into the new half.

Even though the game worked its way toward a 1-1 tie, it still brought about a myriad of chances for the Lady Lions down the homestretch, with Emily Robbins leading the way with a couple of perfectly placed passes to the front of the goal, but could not be capitalized upon.

But when overtime came around, it was a brand new ballgame, and Robbins made sure her next pass was on the money, as she delivered perhaps her best ball of the evening to a wide open Mess in the left wing. From there, the Lady Lions senior wasted no time finding the far post past Ayers to give the team the eventual 2-1 win, using their defense to keep Bolivar-Richburg off the board to secure the win.

“We had to step up on defense, and Wellsville soccer has always been about defense,” said Aftuck. “The girls are so coachable, and it’s been really fun so far. It was nice to set the tone and control the ball as much as we did. Our girls work well together, and we’re really starting to feel the chemistry between one another. It’s something that makes a huge difference.”

The Lady Lions outshot the Lady Wolverines by a 15-10 count, with Makenna Dunbar recording the win behind nine saves. Ayers would finish with 13 saves the other way for Bolivar-Richburg, who prepares for an 11 a.m. first kick on the road at Canisteo-Greenwood on Saturday.

As for the Lady Lions, they now wait until Tuesday for their return to action, welcoming in the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford for a 5 p.m. contest.

“Last season, Cuba was decent and young, and now the mentality has changed a little bit,” Aftuck said. “This year, they’re going to be even better than before, and they’re going to give us a challenge on Tuesday. I’m excited, and it’s nice to grab another win to keep building our confidence. It can only keep going up from here.”

Fillmore 4, Genesee Valley/Belfast 0

FILLMORE — Hope Russell and Zoe Beardsley were the stars of the show when the Lady Eagles of Fillmore returned to the stage after nearly a week away from action, as they hooked up three times with Russell netting a hat trick, and Beardsley finishing with three assists to help power the team’s 4-0 Wednesday night shutout of Genesee Valley/Belfast at home.

“We spent a few practices working on our defense and ultimately in the end, I thought tonight was as much about them as our offense was,” Lady Eagles coach Jon Beardsley said. “Our outside backs weren’t giving the sideline, and Rachel (Hatch) and Torann (Wolfer) in the middle just cleaned everything up. We kept them out of the offensive third all night, and our offense in turn will create chances. Hope is taking it to another level, and Zoe is really playing within herself and control the action.”

The Beardsley-to-Russell connection times three began near the midway point of the opening half, allowing Fillmore (5-0) to strike while the iron was hot. That would be all in the first half of play, as they carried over their one-goal lead into the second half, where a combination of offense and defense reigned supreme for the Lady Eagles.

As a result, the hosts in black and green scored their last three goals in an 11-minute span, with Mallory DeRock and Russell’s second goal going back-to-back in the first 10 minutes of the half to help cement their lead. The scoring was finished off nearly 10 minutes later by Russell and Beardsley’s third and final hook-up to complete the hat trick for Russell.

The defense in turn, allowed just five shots to reach Preslee Miller and Alex Thur in goal, as they combined to make all five stops for Fillmore.

“We just have to keep challenging each other in practice, and we cannot settle for good enough,” said Beardsley. “Genesee Valley/Belfast has great athletes everywhere, and they worked their tails off all night. They made us up our game.”

As for the Lady Eagles, they supplied 15 total shots on goal with Ashley Burrows making 11 stops for Genesee Valley/Belfast (4-2), who now return home to take on Arkport/Canaseraga in a 12 p.m. first kick in the Jungle, Saturday afternoon.

Fillmore springs back into action Friday night back on the road, as go for six straight wins with a visit to Friendship/Scio for a 5 p.m. battle in Scio.

Andover/Whitesville 3, Friendship/Scio 0

ANDOVER — Andover/Whitesville returned home Wednesday night to Andover aiming to rebound from a loss to the hands of Fillmore earlier this week.

The hosts in purple made sure they had that response in the first half, and then some, as they scored all three goals in the opening 40 minute session to set the tone right away on visiting Friendship/Scio, holding the lead they never looked back on to get back into the win column with a 3-0 shutout.

“We were down a few starters tonight, and the girls replacing them really picked up the slack,” said Andover/Whitesville co-coach Al Barber. “They played an unselfish game, which improved as time went on. It was nice to get a win and to see the team start to recognize opportunities. It was really nice and important to see quality minutes from everyone.”

Gabby Terhune recorded a pair of goals to fuel up the fire for Andover/Whitesville (3-3), as she connected with Zoey Lee on a pair of rushes into the Friendship/Scio zone in just over four minutes time to pick up a 2-0 lead. Lee would then add a goal herself as time began to tick down, taking a pass from the foot of Rachel Jackson, and finding the back of the net with it to extend the lead to three.

It was a lead that the hosts would hold for the remainder of the game, with the defense holding Friendship/Scio (1-5) still in the last 40 minutes, only allowing just four shots compared to their 16 on offense. In goal, Brynn Scholl made all four stops to earn the shutout for Andover/Whitesville, while Nevaeh Ross made 12 saves for Friendship/Scio.

Both teams are back in action Thursday night in a pair of 5 p.m. first kicks, as Andover/Whitesville hits the road once more to visit Cuba-Rushford, while Friendship/Scio returns home to Scio to host unbeaten Fillmore.