Rovers, Stingers play to 2-2 tie

The Amherst Rovers recently played to a 2-2 tie with the Stingers in an outdoor "B" travel soccer game.

The Stingers shocked the Rovers with an early goal, but the Rovers tied it midway through the half on a goal by Courtney Sugarman, who somehow managed to connect from within a crowd in front of the net.

Sugarman scored again a short time later with a low shot from an extreme angle between the goalie and the near post.

The Stingers poured it on in the second half and generated several extended bouts of pressure. Some good defensive play kept them out of the net for a while. Julia Struble made several good plays in net, including one sliding knee save that looked like a sure goal. Chelsea Stachura made several plays in front of the net, including blocking a hard shot from close range.

The Rovers almost got the game-clinching goal. Kali Karnes beat half the Stingrays' team right up the middle and the goalie saved the shot. The rebound came to Audrey Parenti, who blasted it solidly off the post.

The Stingers' relentless pressure would eventually lead to the tying goal. The Rovers made one last furious rally. Sugarman nearly got her third goal after Mia Lafornaya sent a beautiful pass to her in the clear on the open side of the net, but she couldn't connect with the bouncing ball.

Offensively, the Rovers' Sarah Snyder sparked some pressure at a key moment when she aggressively followed her own dump-in deep into enemy territory and drew a crowd of defenders. Allie Troncone beat several defenders up the middle and sent a teammate on a breakaway with a beautiful leading pass but she was offsides. Joy Thompson did an amazing job of straddling the sideline with the ball, making several long runs out of the Rovers' end. Colleen Stelley created scoring chances late by launching the ball from far out into the throngs, battling in front of the Stingers' net.

Defensively, Jade Brookes seemed like she was in two places at once when she caught back up to and made plays on balls that had gotten past her.

Meredith Parenti stood her ground against much larger girls, not letting them drive close to the net and created turnovers in the process.