What appeared to be a comfortable 6-2 lead at halftime evaporated into a 6-6 tie before Churchville-Chili junior Paige Temperato scored on a broken play with 66 seconds remaining in regulation as the Saints defeated the Greece Storm 7-6 in girls lacrosse.
“I don’t even know; it was quick and I wasn’t really thinking,” Temperato said about her clinching goal.
She described it as a broken play where junior Sophia Podszebka was trying to pass to classmate Adrianna Gruttadauria, but it hit a stick and went to the ground. That’s when Temperato scooped it into the net for the Saints only goal of the second half.
“We just got overwhelmed from being up and we realized we had to work harder and work it around.”
Saints junior Kayla Wiest netted the first five goals for the Saints with all coming in the first half.
Gruttadauria found her alone in the slot for the first just 2:20 into the contest and Wiest scored the second at 6:27 while getting knocked into the crease. Greece netted two goals around another goal by Wiest on a free possession to cut the Saints lead to 3-2.
But the Saints closed the first half with three goals in 81 seconds. Wiest netted the first two with assists from Podszebka and Temperato assisting respectively and freshman Alaina Reina the third on a free possession.
The Storm rebounded in the second half with three goals in the first 21 minutes to cut the Saints lead to 6-5. They then tied it with 1:55 remaining in regulation and won the next faceoff.
But Saints sophomore defender Skylar Donohue intercepted a pass in her own zone to set up what would prove to be the game-winning tally for C-C’s sixth win of the season.
Saints junior goalie Bryanna Phillips made 11 saves, including several key stops in the first half.
