NTL GIRLS' SOCCER: MCROBERTS NETS HAT TRICK AS TROY TOPS WYALUSING (2024-10-09)
BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports ReportEAST TROY — Alexis McRoberts had a hat trick to lead Troy, 3-0, past Wyalusing during NTL girls’ soccer action Wednesday.
The win, coupled with Athens’ 2-1 loss to Williamson, put them one game up on the Wildcats, with two games left against Athens, both next week. They only need to win one of the two to clinch a fifth straight title.
On Wednesday, though, the Rams proved tough early on, keeping it a 0-0 game at the half despite Troy controlling the possession. Most of Troy’s shots came from 30 or more yards away and were off frame - their one close shot by Saydi Renzo was caught by Wyalusing keeper Sophia Alvarez.
“They really packed the defense,” McRoberts said about the Rams. “They did an amazing job keeping us out of there, and I think us just finally working together, putting those passes together, letting me get towards the goal more really helped us.”
After Renzo just missed the top right corner of the goal McRoberts found just enough space to unleash a screamer from the 20-yards out over the outstretched arms of Alvarez for a 1-0 lead 10 minutes into the half.
Wyalusing’s best chance to score came less than a minute later on a free kick that Addy Bly sent into the box, which just missed a streaking Chloe Bennett behind the Troy defense.
The Rams held serve much of the half, though Troy tested Alvarez with hard, low shots from Renzo and McRoberts, both of which she saved.
Late, though, Wyalusing broke, as Renzo hit McRoberts on a give-and-go into the goalie box for her second goal, then with just under two minutes to play McRoberts scored off a Renzo corner kick for the 3-0 final.
The second half saw Troy make more of an effort to focus their shots on frame.
“That’s been a point of emphasis for a while, is putting more shots on goal,” explained McRoberts. “We had a game Monday, and had a lot of shots, but not many on frame, and so we really worked on that at practice. In the first half we didn’t really see it, but I think in the second half it was a lot better.”
Troy out shot Wyalusing 40-4 as Madelyn Seeley made three saves for the clean sheet. Alvarez had 13 saves in net for the Rams.
Wyalusing (9-5-2) will host Holy Cross on Saturday with a 10 a.m. start as they work to improve their playoff positioning, while Troy (15-1) will host Athens on Monday as they look to clinch another league title.
In fact, in a scheduling quark, their final two regular season games are against Athens.
“It’s definitely weird not seeing them, and then seeing them both in one week,” said McRoberts. “I think we’re going to prepare the best we can, and I think we have a good chance of coming out and playing our best.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
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