By Ted Waddell
LIVINGSTON MANOR — September 12, 2006 — “I was very pleased with our performance today,” said Mary Feusner, now in her 29th season as head coach of the Tri-Valley girls’ varsity soccer team.
Feusner made that statement on Thursday afternoon, moments after her Lady Bears defeated the host Livingston Manor Lady Wildcats, 2-1, in a non-league match.
In scrimmages leading up to start of the regular season, Feusner said the Lady Bears (2-0) weren’t always aware of where their teammates were on the field, but in their victory over Manor “We had our heads un-swiveled, found our teammates and played very well together in the attack third… we’re starting to click.”
T-V scored both of its goals in first half.
Jakki Pugh beat Manor keeper Bionca Colton at 26:33 on an assist by Samantha Adriaans, and at 33:15 Karyn Sheeley scored on an assist from Meghan Drown.
Manor’s only goal of the match was scored at 9:25 in the second half as Valentina Babich fired one into the net.
T-V outshot Manor by a 39-18 margin, but Manor held a 2-1 advantage on corner kicks.
Colton finished the afternoon with 22 saves, while T-V goalie Kaylie Ackerley had 10 saves.
T-V lost eight seniors to graduation. For the 2006 soccer season, the Lady Bears’ roster consists of five 12th graders, 10 juniors, two sophomores, a trio of freshmen and Pugh, who is an eighth-grader.
Seniors Kayla Raimundo and Kayla Scannell serve as the team captains.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Feusner said, “We’re going to get stronger with each game.”
Shirlee Davis, veteran coach of the Lady Wildcats, was recently promoted to the position of Director of Athletics at Livingston Manor Central School.
Her take on the game?
“It was a learning experience… we have some talent and experience, but we have to bring everybody on board.”
In the wake of losing six players to graduation this past June, Manor (0-1) is fielding a team of 10 seniors, four 11th graders and five sophomores.
With those 10 seniors on the roster, Davis is rotating the position of team captain among them. On Thursday, Colleen Casey and Colton served as the Lady Wildcats’ leaders.