Battle of unbeatens ends in 1-1 tie

By Mike Zummo
Posted 4/14/21

 

The Valley Central girls’ soccer team came back in a big way last week, as they battled the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders to a 1-1 double-overtime tie on Thursday afternoon.The …

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Battle of unbeatens ends in 1-1 tie

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The Valley Central girls’ soccer team came back in a big way last week, as they battled the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders to a 1-1 double-overtime tie on Thursday afternoon.
The Vikings’ season was disrupted on March 26 by COVID-19 quarantine rules that required the team to sit out for 10 days. They returned to the pitch last Tuesday, April 6, and blanked Newburgh, 5-0, which set up Thursday’s battle of unbeatens.
After 100 minutes of play, both teams were still unbeaten, and could collide in the postseason.
The Crusaders struck first.
After a scoreless first half, they broke through on a corner kick in the 49th minute as the Crusaders’ Francesca Donovan sent a ball from the right side of the field across the goalmouth. Valley Central goalkeeper Deanna Murdoch was caught at the right post and couldn’t recover before Francesca Donovan buried a shot just inside the left post.
The Vikings had an opportunity to tie the game about three minutes later a corner kick from the right side. Emma Rechtorovic sent a corner kick into the penalty box, and the Vikings could have had an opportunity on an open net, but they couldn’t corral the ball for a shot.
They eventually converted a corner kick in the 68th minute. After the Vikings failed to convert a corner kick, they got another chance after Nickole Schmidt’s shot was deflected by Monroe-Woodbury keeper Chloe Kensell deflected, giving them another corner kick opportunity.
This one found home.
Rechtorovic sent the shot in from the right and Madeline Feller scored, to tie the game at 1-1.
The Vikings had an opportunity to take the lead in regulation, but the Monroe-Woodbury defense got back in time to deny Schmidt’s open-net opportunity.
The Vikings (4-0-1) were scheduled to finish the week against Washingtonville. They are scheduled to finish the regular season Wednesday and Friday against Pine Bush and Warwick.