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One-goal drama

Obert’s late goal sends Chautauqua Lake past Westfield/Brocton

OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Chautauqua Lake keeper Hailey Roush, center, embraces Lauren Alfa as the rest of the Thunderbirds surround them to celebrate Wednesday’s Section VI Class C semifinal victory over Westfield/Brocton in Mayville.

MAYVILLE — With about four minutes remaining in Wednesday’s Section VI Class C girls soccer semifinal, Chautauqua Lake coach Cole Gleason turned to his bench and called upon junior Mercedez Obert to enter the game.

It turned out to be the right move at just the right time.

Obert scored the lone goal with 3:07 remaining to allow the fifth-seeded Thunderbirds to play for their first sectional title in program history with a 1-0 victory over No. 8 Westfield/Brocton.

The Wolverines did a good job of containing Chautauqua Lake leading scorer Calla Zarpentine all game long, but on the winning goal the senior striker turned into a playmaker.

Zarpentine settled a pass in the 18-yard box with her back to the goal and several Westfield/Brocton defenders focusing on her. She then turned to her right and found some space to send one of the few dangerous chances of the day for either team toward the goal.

OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Chautauqua Lake’s Lauren Lindsey, left, and Sienna Collins, right, congratulate Mercedez Obert after she scored the lone goal of the game.

“She’s always been there. That’s why she’s in the middle, because she facilitates good play … whether she can make a good shot and put it in the net or find someone that’s open to do that,” Gleason said. “Our team motto is just to play as a team and not as individuals. She really fits that mold.”

Wolverines senior keeper Angel Busch dove to her right to make the initial save, but Obert was waiting alone for the rebound and buried her third goal of the season to give the Thunderbirds the lead.

“Mercedez is the type of girl that if I put her in she’s going to do the job that I ask her to do. The whole game I was telling her to be aggressive and that she had speed to beat a girl,” Gleason said. “It seemed like Westfield/Brocton was getting a little tired and so I just thought if we could get some extra fresh legs in there at the end, even if it is just finishing a goal, we would be able to put one in.”

Chautauqua Lake then survived Westfield/Brocton’s final push, which ended with a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box being sent wide of the goal.

“These girls played their hearts out. There’s nothing else I could ask,” said Westfield/Brocton coach Neil Huber, who was unable to coach from the sideline. “It just (stinks) that I couldn’t be over there helping them.”

OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Westfield’s Sheala Barresi, left, drags the ball away from Chautauqua Lake’s Madison Gibbons (6) during Wednesday’s Section VI Class C semifinal in Mayville.

The Thunderbirds will now take on No. 2 Frewsburg at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Robert H. Jackson Athletic Complex.

In two victories during the regular season, the Bears outscored their Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Central Division rivals by a combined 5-0, including most recently a 3-0 defeat last Thursday. Frewsburg will be looking to defend its 2019 sectional title.

“It’s going to take just bringing the team that I’ve seen throughout the season. We just have to come with a readiness to win,” Gleason said. “They are so excited. … We’re going to do everything we can to come out with a win on Saturday.”

Busch was credited with 16 saves and Chautauqua Lake keeper Hailey Roush was credited with five saves, but neither was tested with many “Grade-A” opportunities throughout Wednesday’s game.

The Wolverines seemed to carry most of the play early in the first half before the Thunderbirds appeared to wear down Westfield/Brocton, which advanced following a 3-1 quarterfinal upset of No. 1 seed Ellicottville on Monday.

“What you see is how strong our division really is. For the finals to … be Frewsburg and Chautauqua Lake, just like last year our division is that strong,” Huber said. “For us to knock off Ellicottville like we did and really control how everything went there, that’s what I was able to see from these girls.”

Chautauqua Lake, which advanced by beating No. 4 Holland in Monday’s quarterfinals, earned three corner kicks in the opening 40 minutes, but two were punched away by Busch while another found its way through the 18-yard box and away from danger.

After halftime, Westfield/Brocton’s closest opportunity came off a corner kick that was headed toward Roush’s goal, but the wind helped the ball carry over the crossbar and out of danger.

“Our defense are good communicators. Sienna (Collins) is willing to push up the defense. Hailey is a captain back there. I’ve told her since the beginning of the season she’s got to make the defense get up and move out,” Gleason said. “I really love games when we don’t have to use our keeper very much.”

The Wolverines were awarded multiple free kicks within scoring range over the final 40 minutes, but deteriorating field conditions after overnight and morning rain made it difficult to make a solid strike toward the goal.

In the end, one high-quality shot and a striker left open for a rebound made the difference.

“From the start of the game, we felt like it had to break open at some point,” Gleason said. “I knew it might take an overtime, but this was our chance.”

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