Sullivan West opens season with a 9-0 win

TED WADDELL
Posted 9/5/18

FALLSBURG, NY — For the Sullivan West Lady Bulldog booters, it was off to the races, but for the Lady Comets of Fallsburg it was like a scene from last season—during which they …

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Sullivan West opens season with a 9-0 win

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FALLSBURG, NY — For the Sullivan West Lady Bulldog booters, it was off to the races, but for the Lady Comets of Fallsburg it was like a scene from last season—during which they didn’t post a win.

On Thursday, August 30, the visitors defeated the home team 9-0, as the more experienced varsity soccer squad upended a very young team, firing 21 shots on goal at Fallsburg’s freshman goalie Tamia Caston, while their keeper, Isabel Nearing, took the afternoon off, as the home squad didn’t record a single shot on goal.

The scoring was all Sullivan West.

In the first half: Sam Becker off an assist by Arieon Fraizer (01:27), Becker assisted by Clare Hart (4:52), Greta Hauschild off an assist by Josephine Martinez (10:07), Martinez (10:37), Hart with an assist from Jessica Schwalb (27:41), Schwalb (33:19), Hauschild assisted by Sage Aviles (38:56).

At the half, the Lady Bulldogs led 7-0.

In the second frame, Sullivan West posted two more goals. Sydney Hermann off an assist by Hauschild (04:14), and to close out the scoring, a solo shot by Becker (16:51).

Takeaways (positive): the local postman from Liberty, a former varsity girls soccer coach, who started playing the sport at the age of three, added his stamp of approval during the post-game huddle as he reinforced Fallsburg’s first year varsity coach’s message: don’t argue with your teammates, stay positive on the bench, and show respect to the refs, as that goes a long way.

On the negative side, after Sullivan West’s Jessica Martinez got tripped up and plowed the turf face first, several younger home team fans erupted into unsportsmanlike laughter.

Mike Ellmauer has been coaching Sullivan West varsity soccer since 1982. You do the math, but that’s a lot of years.

In the wake of three weeks of practice, he said, “It was nice to play against somebody other than ourselves… it was nice to get out on the field,” noting he sees “a lot of good things and a couple of things we’ve got to work on.”

The Lady Bulldogs field a senior-rich team this year, as of the 16-player squad; 14 are 12th-graders.

“I expect we are going are going to be defending for the divisionals, and going deep into the sectionals,” said Ellmauer in looking into his coach’s crystal ball.

As in recent seasons past, he doesn’t name captains, but relies “on people who are almost captains… the leaders are rising to the top, doing a good job.”

In the match against Fallsburg, Ellmauer credited the play of freshman Emile Bair: “She really contributed a lot today.”

Sullivan West’s top-gun seniors summed their goals for the season.

“Hopefully getting back to sectionals and getting that title back,” said Samantha Becker.

Josephine Martinez took the spotlight off herself, as she added, “I would like to see other people goal… I don’t want to be selfish.”

Amber Smith is in her first year as Fallsburg’s girls varsity soccer coach, at the helm of a team comprising five seniors and the rest younger players, mostly freshmen up from the ranks.

Taking over a team that didn’t record a win last year, Smith said her goal is “to win at least two games” this season.

The Lady Comets are captained by a couple of seniors in leadership roles.

“Our goals are to have fun and not argue about it… Some days will be difficult, but you have to push through and make the best of it,” said Wendy Barrera.

Johaira Cordero said her goal is “to win some games,” adding, “We have a lot of young girls [on the squad], which is kind of cool,”

fallsburg, soccer, fall sports, women's soccer

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