MANCHESTER - In a hard fought contest, the Burr and Burton Academy girls varsity soccer team edged the Hoosick Falls Panthers 2-1 to win the final of the MAU Tournament.

Hoosick Falls (4-1) - the New York Class C state champions - had eliminated BBA (3-1-1) from the Tournament the past two years. Two years ago the Panthers knocked BBA out in the championship and did so again last year in the first round.

In a post game interview, head coach of Burr and Burton, Dan DeForest said the win was a big one for his team.

"Winning this tournament is always one of the goals that you set at the beginning of the year and Tom's (Husser, head coach of Hoosick Falls) kids always play such a great skilled game," said DeForest. "It's a fantastic

Burr and Burton goalie Joanna Jorgenen makes a save during the final of the MAU Tournament. BBA defeated Hoosick Falls 2-1 in the game. (Gary Baker Photo)
win for our program this early in the season. Anytime you win the (John) James (Tournament) it's got such tournament atmosphere to it it can really catapult your team for the season. I mean it's a real good stepping stone for us."

BBA's Daisy Sullivan - who received the Offensive MVP Award - got the scoring started when she received a header from sophomore forward Jordan Harmon in the open field on the left wing. As Sullivan approached the net, Panther goalie Hannah Fricke came out and Sullivan put the ball in the lower right corner of the goal with 15:35 left to play in the first half.

"I wasn't really ready for it, but once I saw Jordan head the ball it was in to open space and I just ran onto it and the goalie, surprisingly, came

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out and so I tried to fake her out," Sullivan said of the play. "Then I got past her, but a defender was behind her in the place she was suppose to be I shot it and it kind of went in slowly, but I'm glad it went in."

BBA retained the advantage until just under seven minutes left to go in the half when Hoosick Falls senior midfielder Allie Martin snuck a roller past the outstretched arms of sophomore goalie Samantha Sullivan to knot the game at one apiece. Samantha Sullivan tallied nine

The Burr and Burton girls varsity soccer team poses with the trophy after winning the MAU tournament 2-1 over Hoosick Falls. (Gary Baker photo)
saves on 10 chances in one half of play.

Hoosick Falls nearly struck again about three minutes later when a nice ball was lofted in front of BBA's goal. The Panthers shot the ball in mid-air, but it sailed left of the goal. Hoosick Falls had a couple more opportunities to score before the half, but came up empty.

The Panthers - who controlled possession of the ball for much of the game - came out attacking early in the second half, shooting the ball five times in about the first 12 minutes, but to no avail.

Then with 28:14 left to go in the second half BBA senior midfielder Meghan Kardas - who played goalie for the team last year - got the ball in the open field and fired a shot on goal to give the Bulldogs the lead for good.

"Actually I wasn't expecting it to come over to me, I just ran in because that's what Mr. D tells me to do, charge the net," said Kardas. "I ended up trapping it and just kicking it in. I didn't comprehend that it went in the goal until Cara Corvino came and tackled me basically. It was like my first goal in ever so I was just really pumped. It was just a really exciting moment for me It's the highlight of my season so far."

By retaking the lead, Kardas said she believed it boosted the team's confidence and revitalized them allowing to play harder to maintain the lead.

The Panthers nearly tied the game with just under 11 minutes to play in the game on a roller that was headed toward the right corner of the goal, but sophomore keeper Joanna Jorgenen - who talled six saves in the second half - stretched out and made the save.

As the game wound down, Kardas - who was on the sidelines with two minutes left to go in the game - said she was feeling both a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

"I was sitting on the sideline and I just kept seeing the ball over on our end of the field and I was so nervous," Kardas said. "It was so close so many times and the fact that we have a great defense and that Dierdre Walsh was always there and always was on them I think was a really crucial part of keeping the lead in this game."

Walsh received the Defensive MVP Award and was charged with the task of marking Hoosick Falls freshman standout Jordyn Haynes.

Following the game, DeForest praised the defensive effort not only put forth by Walsh, but by the team as a whole.

"Obviously someone like Jordyn Haynes and the (Grace) Delurey girl up front for them, they are always a constant threat to score. They play off each other so well, so our game plan was to try to mark one of the two with Dierdre Walsh," saidDeForest. "I thought that the girls executed what we asked them to do to perfection without a lot of practice at it. It's hard to simulate Jordyn Haynes on the field or Delurey on the field. So, we put the kids out there and they just executed what we wanted them to do to perfection."