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November 13, 2009

PHS suffers overtime setback



STILLWATER — After Mechanicville took the momentum and the lead early in Friday's second half, Marle Curle pulled Plattsburgh High back into a tie at the end of it.

But the Red Raiders prevailed in overtime.

Jen Skaczkowski scored in sudden-victory overtime to give Mechanicville a 3-2 win over the Hornets in NYSPHSAA Class B girls' soccer regional play.

Charisse Abellard had a goal and an assist for Plattsburgh (17-3-1), which was outshot 21-7.

"We can't blame it on any one play; it was a great effort," Plattsburgh coach Tim Mulligan said. "Unfortunately, we got the raw end of the deal in a tough game.

"I'm just really happy with everything this team accomplished. It hasn't been an easy season, and the girls came together in the end."

The Hornets took a 1-0 lead into halftime, but it didn't last long in the second half. Abbey Maiello knotted the score just 35 seconds in, and Alysa Russel put the Red Raiders ahead less than five minutes later.

"Charisse had a great goal in the first half, but they had the better of the play," Mulligan said. "So being up 1-0 was a good feeling at halftime. But we definitely knew they would be coming at us with everything they had in the second half.

"We had a couple of defensive breakdowns, and they had a couple decent finishes."

The Hornets regrouped, and with just 4:18 left in regulation, Curle made it 2-2 on a little breakaway.

"It's really a credit to our girls — the shots sound lopsided, but as the game went on, it became a pretty evenly played game," Mulligan said. "We worked really hard to get the tying goal."

The teams stayed even through two 10-minute overtimes. Then, 3:30 into the first sudden-victory period, Maiello drew the defense into a corner and got the ball to the far side of the field, where Skaczkowski put it in.

"It was back and forth in overtime," Mulligan said. "Both teams played good defense. We had some good offensive chances that we didn't finish, and Mechanicville was able to finish."

Kelsey Desadore made three saves in the Mechanicville nets.

Abellard tallied 15:05 into the game to give the Hornets their only lead.

Plattsburgh keeper Emily Schultz made 18 saves.

"It was probably the best game I've ever seen Emily Schultz play," Mulligan said. "She definitely kept us in it."



Mechanicville 3,

Plattsburgh High 2 (OT)

Plattsburgh11000—2

Mechanicville02001—3

First half- 1, PHS, Abellard, 15:05.

Second half- 2, M, Maiello, 0:35. 3, M, Russel, 5:26. 4, PHS, Curle (Abellard), 35:42.

Third overtime- 5, Skaczkowski, 3:30.

Shots- Plattsburgh 7, Mechanicville 21.

Saves- Schultz, PHS, 18. Desadore, M, 3.

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