LAKE HUNTINGTON – Rare it is indeed for two teams to be so totally even in their play as to evince two double overtime games both resulting in deadlocks. Such is the case for the Sullivan West and Tri-Valley girls who once again battled to a tie in their rematch of an earlier season 2-2 standoff. 

This time out it was a defensive gem with neither team able to break through for the score. SW nearly had the tie breaker in the first OT but a handball neutralized that possibility. 

For the Tri-Valley Lady Bears experiencing a renaissance this season under the fine coaching of Kayla Connolly assisted by Andrea McGregor, only one loss, a recent defeat to Burke, marred their perfect league season. As such, the seeding committee which awaited the outcome of last night’s fray, awarded the Lady Bears a one-seed in the upcoming sectional tournament. Sullivan West, ably coached by Megan Brockner assisted by Samantha Cummings is seeded fifth and will travel to number four-seeded Burke on October 25. 

The winner will play in the semifinals at T-V on October 27. On the other side of the bracket defending champion Millbrook which is seeded No. 2 awaits the winner of Rhineback (3) and S.S. Seward (6) for the other semifinal. The sectional championship game will take place at Faller Field in Middletown on November 1. 

Hard as it is to imagine but SW and T-V played 200 minutes of soccer in their regular season league clashes with neither team emerging with a victory. Should Sullivan West get by Burke, a team they lost to twice, then the locals will play the rubber match with the winner advancing to the finals. 

This was senior night for Sullivan West and the last home game for Felicity Bauernfeind, Anna Bernas, Gergeanne Cardona, Kaylee DiBiase, Briana Haass, Serena Harting, Elanie Herbert, Lucia Kennedy and Paige Muzuruk. 

T-V seniors included Brooke Delaney, Sierra Mickelson, Kaylee Poppo, Emily Hornbeck, Clare Verbert, Mackenzie Closs and Anna Streimer. 

In all, 16 elder stateswomen took to the field in what will go down in the annals of local soccer as one of the best-played games on record. 

Sullivan West marshalled 12 shots, five of which were on goal. Tri-Valley had the better of that statistic with 27 total shots and 20 on goal. Herbert registered 20 saves, while Poppa recorded five. 

Tri-Valley ended its regular season campaign with a 3-1-2 league record. Sullivan West ended up at 2-2-2.