Local Sports

North Collins girls fall in ‘D’ final

Ellicottville converts penalty kick for 18th title

HAMBURG - A tie game can change on one bounce.

When that game is in the postseason, seasons can end or continue based on that bounce.

On Wednesday at Howe Field, No. 1 Ellicottville's girls were the beneficiary of one of those bounces and No. 2 North Collins' girls were on the unfortunate end.

North Collins committed a handball inside its 18-yard box leading to a penalty kick, which was buried by Ellicottville's Eliza Murray to decide the 2-1 Section VI Class D girls soccer final on the campus of Hamburg High School.

"We're like the overtime queens," said Ellicottville head coach Tammy Eddy after the Eagles claimed their 18th sectional title.

As the lone Class D teams in Section VI, Wednesday's matchup had been decided for the entire season, and neither team had played a game for 12 days prior to the championship tilt.

And now, as the sectional champion, Ellicottville will have to wait another nine days before taking on Section V's champion in the Far West Regional next Friday in the Rochester area.

"We try to do some fun, unique things that are not just soccer-related to keep it fresh. It's too long. I wish the state would do something so there were at least four 'D' schools," Eddy said of Class D's situation locally. "It's not fair. You see all of these other teams playing and we're sitting."

North Collins opened the scoring in the ninth minute Wednesday when an Ellicottville goal kick was sent back toward the goal before North Collins' Leah Parnitzke moved the ball with her chest to teammate Victoria Colon, who was able to tap the ball over Ellicottville's keeper for a 1-0 lead.

"We kind of struggled to score goals all year, so to get an early goal put us at ease because we were a little nervous coming into the game," North Collins head coach Vince Fininzio said. "I thought we played really well to get that goal, but then we kind of packed it in a little bit for some reason."

Ellicottville responded in the 22nd minute when a North Collins clear found the foot of Murray, who scored over the North Collins keeper to tie the game at a goal apiece.

"We're just struggling to put the ball in the back of the net," Eddy said. "I think our defense and our mids are solid, but we're just trying to figure out how to attack the goal and actually finish."

Ellicottville then controlled the majority of the remainder of the first half, except for a chance by Colon in the 31st minute that was turned away by a challenging play by Ellicottville keeper Ady Andrews in tight.

"When you have possession in their end the whole time, it only takes 30 seconds to go to the other end and score," Eddy said.

It could be argued that Ellicottville dominated the entire second half, but was unable to crack the North Collins defense for a go-ahead goal.

"Connecting three passes is going to give us scoring opportunities," Fininzio said. "We're not the greatest passing team in the world, but we'll put together some good possessions and good soccer for a small time in the game."

Each team had a quality chance in the first 15-minute overtime, but both were unable to convert.

"Overall, I thought we got good opportunities late in the second half and early in the first overtime to punch one home," Fininzio said.

Then, in the second overtime, Ellicottville took advantage of a corner kick in the 102nd minute that eventually became the winning goal when Murray converted the penalty.

"We have been practicing them and she has made a couple during the season," Eddy said of Murray's penalty kick. "She's my go-to."