AUBURN - It wasn't just the rain that came down on the Auburn girls soccer team on Wednesday. Cortland (10-4) poured on the shots at Seward Elementary, in the Purple Tigers' 1-0 defeat of the Maroons.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Auburn goalie Virginia Porten lunges to block a shot on goal during the second half of the Maroons' 1-0 loss to Cortland at Seward Elementary School, Wednesday afternoon. Porten finished with 16 saves.
Auburn goalie Virginia Porten lunges to block a shot on goal during the second half of the Maroons' 1-0 loss to Cortland at Seward Elementary School, Wednesday afternoon. Porten finished with 16 saves.
“They're a good team, they won their section last year as a Class A school,” said Auburn coach Tom Quest. “We knew it was going to be tough coming in.”
Despite peppering Auburn goalie Virginia Porten with 27 shots - 15 in the second half - the quick-footed senior played a spectacular game, racking up 16 saves. The grabs rarely came head on for Porten, as she caused the Purple Tigers a lot of headaches with leaping deflections when a shot looked like a sure goal.
“She played great,” Quest said. “But she's been doing that all season.”
With 26:47 left in the game, the Purple Tigers' leading scorer Aubrey VanGorder found the net off a curious corner kick. The kick came moments after senior Katherine Hunsberger missed her shot under the net through the right side of the goal.
“They thought it went in the goal, but Virginia actually made the save,” Quest said. “I guess the ref on the far side didn't see the tip.”
Offensively, Auburn couldn't muster much against a staunch Cortland defense that has given up just 14 goals all season, but has shut out their last two opponents in East Syracuse-Minoa and Phoenix by a combined score of 8-0. Cortland has now blanked its opponent in seven games this year.
Hannah Polanko-Baker was credited with two saves for the Purple Tigers. The Maroons got off just two shots - one in each half, which has been indicative of Auburn's offensive lag as of late. The Maroons have scored just seven goals in the last five games, but in only one of those contests - against Rome Free Academy - Auburn was victorious. The team's last three losses came when they couldn't sink the ball into the net.
“We've been struggling to score lately,” Quest said. “We're a younger team this year, but we'll keep plugging along and try to get better.”
A light drizzle in the first half turned into a steady rain for the final 40 minutes, which didn't help matters much for either squad.
Even though they've had to play in sloppy conditions on their home field over the last three games, the wetness didn't aid in ball handling or running down the field.
“That didn't help us today, that's for sure,” Quest said. “Especially when you're trying to build something and get forward.”
The Maroons (7-5-1) will try to right their ship back to the way it was in the beginning of the season, when they started 5-0.
They host West Genesee on Friday and head to Corcoran on Tuesday before hosting Cicero-North Syracuse in the Maroons' senior night under the lights of Holland Stadium next Thursday. Auburn has already clinched a spot in the Section III, Class AA playoffs with six regular season games left.
The Purple Tigers conclude their season at home against the Maroons on Oct. 18, while Auburn hosts a tough Liverpool team on the Oct. 22.
Despite peppering Auburn goalie Virginia Porten with 27 shots - 15 in the second half - the quick-footed senior played a spectacular game, racking up 16 saves. The grabs rarely came head on for Porten, as she caused the Purple Tigers a lot of headaches with leaping deflections when a shot looked like a sure goal.
“She played great,” Quest said. “But she's been doing that all season.”
With 26:47 left in the game, the Purple Tigers' leading scorer Aubrey VanGorder found the net off a curious corner kick. The kick came moments after senior Katherine Hunsberger missed her shot under the net through the right side of the goal.
“They thought it went in the goal, but Virginia actually made the save,” Quest said. “I guess the ref on the far side didn't see the tip.”
Offensively, Auburn couldn't muster much against a staunch Cortland defense that has given up just 14 goals all season, but has shut out their last two opponents in East Syracuse-Minoa and Phoenix by a combined score of 8-0. Cortland has now blanked its opponent in seven games this year.
Hannah Polanko-Baker was credited with two saves for the Purple Tigers. The Maroons got off just two shots - one in each half, which has been indicative of Auburn's offensive lag as of late. The Maroons have scored just seven goals in the last five games, but in only one of those contests - against Rome Free Academy - Auburn was victorious. The team's last three losses came when they couldn't sink the ball into the net.
“We've been struggling to score lately,” Quest said. “We're a younger team this year, but we'll keep plugging along and try to get better.”
A light drizzle in the first half turned into a steady rain for the final 40 minutes, which didn't help matters much for either squad.
Even though they've had to play in sloppy conditions on their home field over the last three games, the wetness didn't aid in ball handling or running down the field.
“That didn't help us today, that's for sure,” Quest said. “Especially when you're trying to build something and get forward.”
The Maroons (7-5-1) will try to right their ship back to the way it was in the beginning of the season, when they started 5-0.
They host West Genesee on Friday and head to Corcoran on Tuesday before hosting Cicero-North Syracuse in the Maroons' senior night under the lights of Holland Stadium next Thursday. Auburn has already clinched a spot in the Section III, Class AA playoffs with six regular season games left.
The Purple Tigers conclude their season at home against the Maroons on Oct. 18, while Auburn hosts a tough Liverpool team on the Oct. 22.
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