By Rob Potter
HARRIS — November 25, 2005 – As one would expect in a championship game, the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League Under-15 Girls’ title match on Sunday afternoon at the Center For Discovery soccer field between the Warwick Wildcats and Liberty United was close and competitive.
In fact, a single goal was the difference between the two teams which had split their two regular-season games.
With about eight minutes elapsed in the second half, Warwick earned a corner kick. The corner kick was taken by Meagan Brady, who sent the ball into a crowd of players in the goal box. Wildcat forward Jenna Maisto tipped the ball into the corner of the net to give her team a 1-0 advantage.
For the rest of the contest, the Liberty United players attempted to tie the score. But a couple of their shots hit the crossbar and two others sailed just inches wide of the net.
Liberty United’s best chance to score may have been when Samantha Adriaans gained control of the ball near the Warwick goal cage with approximately three minutes remaining in the match. Adriaans kicked the ball towards the net, but Wildcat goalkeeper Jennifer Kaszubski made the save.
Warwick went on to record a 1-0 victory.
Liberty United was the number one seed in the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League U15 Girls’ playoffs and Warwick was the second seed. Liberty United reached Sunday’s title match by defeating Goshen 1-0 in overtime in a semifinal match on November 13. Warwick qualified for the final by blasting Pine Bush 7-0 on Nov. 13 in the other semifinal.
“We finished the season with a record of 6-1-1, with five of those wins shutouts,” Warwick Coach Mark Kaszubski said.
Helping Kaszubski guide the Wildcats this season were Assistant Coaches Dan Janes and Todd Yates and Trainer Minor delRio.
Sunday’s shutout win was Jennifer Kaszubski’s fifth of the season.
Liberty United ended its 2005 fall season with a record of 6-2.
This was the first full season for Liberty United’s U15 girls’ team. Girls from four different Sullivan County school districts – Liberty, Monticello, Sullivan West and Tri-Valley – play on the squad.
“We played strong,” Liberty United Coach Sue Sheeley said of the team’s performance against Warwick.
She noted that the players also had a strong season.
“We had a lot of fun this fall,” Sheeley commented. “The girls really came together and played well as a team.”
Fellow Liberty United Coach Krys Stant agreed.
“I’m really proud of these girls,” she said. “We had a great season.”
Stant noted that many of the players on the team were members of the Liberty United U-14 girls’ team that finished second during the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League’s spring season.
Note: The Liberty United Soccer Program, which consists of several boys’ and girls’ teams, is still seeking players for the upcoming indoor season. For more information, please call Carpio Ramos at 292-0810.