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Fischer, Mancini score goals in Canfield victory
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Canfield’s Emma Sybert (17) heads the ball during action Wednesday night during a match against All-American Conference rival Howland. Canfield won, 2-1.
By TIM CLEVELAND
HOWLAND
The last two games will be perhaps the most difficult of the season for the Canfield girls soccer team. The Cardinals fell last Saturday to defending Division II state champion Walsh Jesuit, but on Wednesday night they were able to survive in a 2-1 victory over previously undefeated Howland.
Canfield coach Phil Simone said he was relieved that his team got through the pair of games relatively unscathed.
“This is always a tough place to come and play,” Simone said. “No matter how good one or the other is, it’s always a battle. It’s a tough back-to-back game with Walsh and then them. It feels great to come out with a victory at their place.”
Canfield entered Wednesday’s game averaging five goals per game. Howland coach Joe Megyesi said he was happy his defense held the Cardinals to less than half their average, despite the loss.
“Honestly, my defense, I think, is fantastic,” he said. “They always have been and going into this game, we weren’t worried because we’re good. We played a real good Green team that we controlled.”
Bailey Fischer was taken down in the box to earn a penalty kick for Canfield (3-1). She took advantage of the opportunity, putting the ball past goalkeeper Monica Kotyuk to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead with 8:43 left in the first half.
It was Fischer’s fourth goal in her last three games.
Heather Stinson was able to equalize for Howland early in the second half. The senior looped a high shot over Canfield keeper Raquel Abel to tie the game with 33:15 remaining.
The tie didn’t last long, as Sophia Mancini took control of the ball as Kotyuk came out to challenge. Mancini put the ball past her at 31:17 for what proved to be the game winner.
“She’s strong; she’s powerful,” Simone said of Mancini. “We did a good job as a group getting the ball up and finding that gap behind them. She was able to get behind them and was comfortable enough to place it in the goal.”
Simone said it was huge to snatch the momentum right back from Howland after it drew level.
“It was enormous because in my opinion they controlled a lot of the first half they were in our end,” he said. “For us to come out of the first half up 1-0 was a good feeling. They killed a little bit of the momentum by equalizing. Thank God we came back and got the game winner.”
Howland (3-1) was without leading scorer Seyla Perez (five goals) due to a knee injury. Tigers coach Joe Megyesi said the team will take a cautious approach in bringing her back.
“She’s OK — she’ll be all right,” he said. “We just don’t want to take any chances. She hasn’t played for the past couple games. The team was still solid. That’s what I like.”