Girls’ Soccer
Oxford 2, Delhi 1
DELHI – Oxford avenged two early-season losses to Delhi stunning the higher seeded Bulldogs in Class C sectional play Tuesday.
Coming off 3-1 and 5-3 losses Delhi in the regular season, Oxford scored the first two goals of the second half to create breathing room. “I spoke to the girls the other day and told them that we didn’t lose to them by a lot in the season, and any team is beatable,” said Oxford coach Kathleen Cragle.
The win follows up and builds on last year’s five-win campaign that also included a first-round sectional win. It was the sixth victory for Oxford, who play at Marathon Friday, and the two goals raised the season total to a team-record 32 this season. “We looked at our team goals, and we’ve been able to build on those each of the last three years,” Cragle said. “Even if we built on them just a little bit...I remember where we were (as a team) three years ago.”
Oxford broke through at 25:17 on an indirect kick inside the penalty box from six yards out. Delhi was whistled for an infraction when one of its players sent back a pass from outside the 18 to the goalie to set up the free kick. Felicia Tynan tapped the ball to Kelli Whitehill, who drilled a shot through a small crease in the Delhi defense. “They stacked their wall in the goal and there was a small gap in it,” Cragle said. “She drilled it through the gap; I couldn’t believe it.”
Less than five minutes later, Whitehill hit a shot that rebounded to Amanda Brown, who tucked it away at 20:50.
Delhi found the Oxford net at 11:07, and applied its most significant offensive pressure the rest of the way in an effort to tie the game. “That was the longest 11 minutes of my life,” Cragle said. “They had some good breakouts that my defenders got back on, and we were lucky. This missed a couple of close shots.”
Amanda Nightengale made 11 saves in goal for Oxford, who travel to play Marathon at 3:30 p.m.
Summary
(0-0 at half)
Goals-assists: (O) Kelli Whitehill, 1-1, Amanda Brown, 1-0, Felicia Tynan, 0-1. (D) Elizabeth Viafore, 1-0, Eva Rae Andrews, 0-1.
Shots-corners: (O) 7-7, (D) 12-7.
Saves: (O) Amanda Nightengale, 11, (D) Christin Salerno, 3.
Trumansburg 2, Greene 1
GREENE – Trumansburg hung on to a two-goal halftime lead to win its Class B sectional contest with the Trojans Tuesday.
