EAST TROY — Troy's Giana Renzi gave up a chance to score her 50th goal on the road at Williamson earlier in the week because she wanted to try and do it at home against their rivals Athens. For 65 minutes the Wildcats stymied Renzi, but she kept at it, picked up a foul in the box, and then buried the penalty kick to hit the milestone and push the Trojans to the 1-0 win Saturday.

"I knew we had to come away with the win," said Renzi. "Whether I needed one more goal or not my focus was just on winning the game, and if that mean I needed to score, that's what it came down to, and it felt great."

Athens did a good job frustrating her for much of the game, marking her up tight and forcing her to her off foot for much of the day.

"There were at least two girls on me the whole time, so they definitely marked me pretty good," said Renzi. "But you just have to adjust to that."

With 25 minutes to play in the second half Renzi found some space on a breakaway, and was hit when she went to shoot.

"I knew it was either going to be a shot or a slide tackle," Renzi said. 

She buried the ensuing penalty kick, and Troy was able to keep Athens' counter attacks out of the net for the 1-goal win.

"It feels amazing," Renzi said about getting the milestone in a key league game against their rivals. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without my teammates now, my past teammates, my parents, and most of all my faith in God. It just led me here."

Troy out shot Athens 9-2 with each team getting six corner kicks.

Troy keeper Izzy Renzi made two saves for the clean sheet.

"It makes it that much more special to be able to compete with her," Giana said about her sister, Izzy. "Even if we're on opposite sides of the field, it's just nice doing it with her."

Annika Lezak made seven saves in net for the Wildcats.

Troy put pressure on Athens most of the game, but it was the Wildcats getting a good chance early on a run. Izzy was able to snuff it out for Troy.

At the 30:30 mark Troy's Raelyn Woodward got a 1-v-1 with Lezak but the Wildcat keeper made a diving save.

Renzi would have a couple shots go just off frame while Lezak was able to vacuum up everything else on frame.

In the second half Renzi's best chance to that point came when Athens failed to clear an awkward bounce inside the six. Renzi crashed, but her shot was just wide.

Lezak would make another diving save seven minute in, while another Troy shot was just wide at the 24:40 mark.

Athens' best chance for the equalizer came with 10 minutes to go when they got a point blank attempt at the net, but Izzy was in the right place at the right time to preserve the shutout.

Troy (2-2) is at Towanda on Wednesday.

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