ONEONTA –– It was a new classification, but the same dominance for the Cincinnatus girls soccer team Saturday in regional action. Cassia Schuyler scored her first of three goals in the opening minutes and the Lions rolled past Section IV champion Elmira Notre Dame 5-0 in a Class C state quarterfinal at the Wright National Soccer Campus in Oneonta.
The defending Class D state champions have remained unfazed all season despite moving up a classification and that continued in their first game of the state tournament. Schuyler’s opening goal came just three and half minutes in and the Lions were in the driver’s seat from there.
“Obviously coming into regionals, we had some nerves,” Schuyler said. “Coming into Class C we don’t have as much information as we normally do with Class D on the teams we’re playing. We didn’t know much, so that builds more nerves for us. Getting that first goal just really secured us in our play and showed that we had possession, and we kept possession the whole game. I think it just really started the flow of us continuing to possess the ball.”
Jocelyn Turshman picked up as the assist on Schuyler’s goal.
The Lions not only continued to possess the ball, but they continued to generate scoring chances at will. Cincy rang the post twice moments after the goal and again at the 16 minute mark. Ava Larrabee linked up with Lucy Finch on a corner kick to extend the lead to two with just over six minutes to play in the half.
The second rolled around and the Lions’ control cinched in further. Cincy seemed to get stronger as the game got late, which has been a theme for the team all season.
“Our own defense in practice talks about how exhausting it is to guard our offense,” Schuyler said. “I think that’s one of the key components to our team is that we have a very strong offense from the midfield. I do think when we’re up like that and we’re finishing the chances they’re giving us it definitely exhausts the other team and that just allows us to capitalize even more.”
The Lions capitalized with Schuyler’s second goal of the game off a Larrabee corner kick just over six minutes into the second half, putting the game firmly out of reach for Elmira Notre Dame. It was the Lions’ second goal of the game off a corner kick, as they scored on both chances they got.
“I don’t want to be cocky or anything, but I’d say Ava’s combo with the corner and my head works pretty well for us,” Schuyler said.
“We have really good chemistry because we played together since we were eight years old,” Larrabee added. “I always look for Cass and I have a lot of trust in her to finish off my plays.”
Schuyler finished off the hat trick a few minutes later on a set up from Mandi Waltz and Kendall Sustad tacked on a final goal before the final horn. Schuyler added the assist on Sustad’s goal, scoring or assisting on all but one tally.
It was the 21st win of the season for the Lions, who are one of just two teams in the state without a loss or tie.
“I think the girls are just up for almost anything and it really doesn’t matter what class we’re in,” Cincinnatus head coach Lisa Sustad said. “We’re going to go in and give teams all we have and just hope it works out in the end.”
The Lions will look to finish off their quest for second straight state title, beginning at noon Saturday at Homer High School. They’ll take on Section II champion Stillwater (15-1-1). Stillwater beat Section X champion Lisbon 1-0 Saturday.
