Devils Roll, Rally To Sweep Wildcats

Taking control and taking control of the scoreboard.

OFA did both very quickly and cruised to an 8-2 victory over Gouverneur in the Blue Devils' NAC Central Soccer openeer at home on Thursday. The OFA Girls took the comeback route scoring three second half goals in a 3-2 victory at Gouverneur.

BOYS CRUISE EARLY

"It was good to score very quickly and we did a nice job on corner kicks where we scored two of our first three goals. Our reserves got a lot of playing time and were tested pretty good. Matt Tolman made some nice saves in the second half." said OFA Coach Matt Morley after his team climbed to 3-0 overall heading into a nonleague game at Indian River on Thursday.

"Kyle Manke does a great job placing his corner kicks and overall our passing was very good all the way around. Six different player scored our first six goals and that was great to see."

Coach Morley was also delighted to see the Devils score 35 seconds into the game when Paul LaPlante converted off a Grant Prudhomme pass. Prudhomme. Prudhomme went to collect three assists and score twice in the contest where Andy Rickett, Jarret Piercey, Kyle Manke and Brent Lalonde all scored as the Devils took a 6-0 lead. Manke also picked up two corner kick assists while LaPlante finished with two goals. Drew Costigan and Gian Rufa contributed solo assists and Tolman (8) and starter Tyler Carrow (3) finished with 11 saves.

Jas Briggs and Bryant Farley scored for Gouverneur and Seth Carr made 14 saves.

OFA GIRLS RALLY

GOUVERNEUR - The OFA girls came out the first half with a 6-2 shots-on-goal advantage but facing a 1-0 deficit after the14th minute when Liz Perrigo converted a nifty move with a high shot over goaltender Allysha Bracy.

But Devil Coach Lauren Morley made no halftime adjustments while urging her team to keep pressing the issue.

The issue turned in their favor as halfback Meg Dodge buried a hard shot from just outside the 18 yardline at eighth minute of the second half. Six minutes later Chelsea Martin converted off from close range off a cross from Mackenzie Cole and Emily LaFleur upped the margin to 3-1 with 15 minutes to play off a crossing assist from Makenzi Stevenson.

Jaelyn Gotham cut the deficit to 3-2 with 10 minutes to play but the Devils held firm in front of Bracy who finished with nine saves which were matched at the other end of the field by Niktoria Bates.

"We moved the ball and communicated well today. I moved Brooke Badlam into a double stopper setup with Jessica Denoncourt. They settled things well and Jessica played some beautiful longballs," said Coach Morley who will have her team at home Friday agsinst Tupper Lake.

"I moved Nikki Holmes into middle of the midfield shifted Makenzi Stevenson outside and it worked well for both girls."