By Rob Potter
HANCOCK — Even though there are still a few weeks left in the scholastic soccer season, the Roscoe Lady Blue Devils recorded a key win on Wednesday afternoon.
Roscoe defeated the host Family School Lady Falcons, 3-1, in an Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division VI amid very cool, autumnal weather conditions on the pitch.
With the victory, Roscoe improved its record to 3-7 overall and 2-2 in Div. VI.
Leading the Lady Blue Devils’ offense was junior Paige Clancy, who scored two goals. She scored on an assist from Agnes Piatek approximately into 11 minutes into the contest.
After Sarah Vevante evened the score at 1-1 for The Family School (0-7, 0-4 Div. VI) thanks to an assist from Nadine Nixon, Clancy scored the go-ahead goal for the Lady Blue Devils just a few minutes later. Sydney Portz assisted Clancy on the goal, which gave Roscoe a 2-1 advantage at halftime.
With about 15 minutes remaining in the match, Piatek took a penalty kick after a Lady Falcon player touched the ball with her hand while in the goal box. Piatek scored with a low shot to the corner of the net.
“I’m very pleased with the way we played in the second half,” Roscoe Coach Brian Smith said. “This was a key match for us. It was important that we get a [division] win if we want to reach sectionals.”
Smith was also quick to credit the Lady Falcons.
“I was impressed with The Family School,” he said. “They played well.”
Family School Coach Scott MacDonald noted that penalty kicks were a key factor in the match.
“They were able to convert their penalty kick and we didn’t,” he said. “It could have been a 2-2 match.”
MacDonald was referring to his team’s penalty kick late in the first half. Vevante sent a good shot toward the net, but Roscoe goalkeeper Kiera Browne was able to deflect the ball away to preserve her team’s one-goal advantage.
MacDonald also praised his players for their overall performance.
“They were aggressive in going to the ball,” he said. “That’s what we have been working on, playing hard but keeping it clean.
“I am very proud of these girls; they are getting better every day,” MacDonald added.
Roscoe held the advantage in both shots (27-11) and corner kicks (14-3).
Browne and Taylor DeVantier, who took over as the Lady Blue Devils’ keeper midway through the second half, combined to make six saves.
Family School goalkeeper Denise Tagariello had 16 saves.