East girls soccer defeats Iroquois in league finale
Lady Flames win sixth straight ECIC II title, 36th straight divisional game
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville East's dominance over ECIC Division II competition continues.

The Lady Flames defeated Iroquois, 5-2, on Monday to win the ECIC II crown for the sixth straight year. It was East's 36th consecutive league win and 47th league victory out of 48 games. East's last lost in ECIC II was a 2-1 defeat to Hamburg in the 2004 regular season finale.

"To go undefeated for the third straight year is something special," said East coach Chris Durr. "More importantly, going undefeated in the league gives us a good shot at the top seed for sectionals."

East, which improved to 16-0-1 overall and 12-0 in ECIC II, came ready to play. The Lady Flames scored three goals in the first 9:30 of the first half. Senior forward/midfielder Jessica Kowalski scored on a through ball from senior midfielder Jenny Griffin (broke school record for assists; has 65 career assists) at 5:20; Griffin made it 2-0 1:05 later on an unassisted shot that went into the top corner of the net.

Jenny's younger sister, sophomore midfielder Katie Griffin, added a goal from junior defender Neha Bakhai and Kowalski. Durr said Katie Griffin cut back in front of a defender and knocked it into the far post.

"To jump out 3-0 in the first 9:30 was big," said East coach Chris Durr. "It was the best we had played all year at the start of the game. We were all over them; they couldn't handle us."

Jenny Griffin gave East a 4-0 advantage at the 29-minute mark from sophomore defender Jordan Kowalski and Katie Griffin.

Durr told his team at halftime that Iroquois would regroup in the second half and he was right. Lady Chief leading goal scorer Danielle Braun tallied 1.5 minutes into the second half.

Jenny Griffin answered 4.5 minutes later on a through ball from Jessica Kowalski. Bakhai also assisted.

"The goalie came out and she knocked it over the goalie's head from 25 yards out," said Durr.

Defensively, junior goalie Josephine Bochiechio made six saves; East had 20 shots on net. Durr also lauded the defensive work of Bakhai on Braun.

East blanked its opponents last week, shutting out Hamburg, 2-0, at home last Tuesday, at Williamsville South, 5-0, last Thursday, and at Amherst, 3-0, last Friday.

Jenny Griffin scored both goals against Hamburg. She tallied the only goal of the first half 32 minutes in on a penalty kick. Six and a half minutes into the second half, she intercepted a goalie kick and scored. Bochiechio made six saves.

"We had several scoring opportunities in the second half that could have made it 3 or 4-0 but their goalie made several great saves," said Durr.

Katie Griffin opened the East scoring against South seven minutes into the first half on a cross from Jessica Kowalski and sophomore midfielder Kayla Acklin.

Junior midfielder/forward Tara Kiernan scored her first of three goals in the game with a minute to play in the first half on assists from Jenny Griffin and Acklin. Her second and third goals came at the 19 - and 23-minute marks of the second half. Jenny Griffin and Kelly McNamara assisted on her second goal; Jenny Griffin and Becky Fedak helped out on her third goal. It was Kieran's first career hat trick. She has 10 goals and 10 assists this season.

"Tara was all over the field," said Durr. "Even if she didn't score, she was a real menace in the box and around the outside."

Junior midfielder Lauren Lapoint scored the Lady Flames' fifth goal with two minutes to play from Acklin and sophomore Daniella Galante. Lapoint cut it back from a defender and shot the ball into the corner of the net.

"For us to jump on them seven minutes into the game put them on their heels," said Durr. "We actually had several excellent scoring opportunities in the first 15 minutes but their goalie made a couple of nice saves and we missed the net on some."

"It's clear why they're ranked No. 1 in Western New York," added South coach Kevin McNamara.

Bochiechio made four saves.

Durr said Amherst has improved 100 percent since last year and felt his team had problems at times with the Lady Tigers' speed.

Acklin scored the only goal of the first half nine minutes in. Acklin took a shot that rebounded out to Katie Griffin, who scored. Jenny Griffin had a beautiful left-footed goal on an assist from Acklin and Kiernan five minutes into the second half. Bakhai made it 3-0 six minutes later on a direct kick from outside the box. Fedak and Katie Griffin assisted.

Bochiechio recorded seven saves for her thirteenth shutout. Durr lauded the defensive play of Bakhai, Morgan Begy, Kristen Saviola, Jordan Kowalski and Olivia Quenneville.

"It was a good game for us," said Durr. "Hopefully, we'll be playing there again (Class A final is at Amherst on Nov. 3). It was also a night game so the kids got hyped up for it."

East, ranked first in Western New York, second in New York State Class A and seventh in Region II of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, closes out the regular season with a non-league game at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at Williamsville North.

Jenny Griffin has 19 goals and 16 assists followed by Kiernan, Jessica Kowalski (nine goals, nine assists), Katie Griffin (eight goals, six assists), and Acklin (three goals, 10 assists).

East's modified team is 9-0; the JV is 13-2.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com