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Democrat Photo by Rob Potter
THE LIBERTY UNITED Soccer Club Under-17 girls’ team players and coaches got together for a group photo following their victory on Sunday afternoon against the Warwick Wildkats. In the front holding the soccer ball is Andrea Drollinger. Sitting directly behind Drollinger are Paulina Kleinberger, left, and Jessica Stant. Kneeling, from left to right, are Brittany Austin, Deanna Burgio, Amanda Martin, Katie Green, Chelsea Brennan and Sarah Shirdon. Standing, from left to right, are Coach Krys Stant, Melissa Stefanuk, Dayna Halprin, Carly Bulaga, Karyn Sheeley, Kayla Scannell, Samantha Adriaans, Ellen Williams and Coach Sue Sheeley. Missing from photo are team members Skylar Musa, Darian Niforatos, Jakki Pugh, Rebecca Sherer and Jasmine Walizadeh.
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Liberty U17 Girls Defeat Warwick, 5-2
By Rob Potter
HARRIS — November 21, 2006 — The Liberty United Soccer Club’s Under-17 girls’ team finished its fall season a positive note on Sunday afternoon at the Center for Discovery soccer field.
After falling behind by a goal early in its East Hudson League match against the Warwick Wildkats, the Liberty United team rallied to take a 2-1 lead. Liberty United added three more goals and shut out Warwick in the second half to record a 5-2 victory.
Warwick took a 1-0 lead about five minutes into the match. But the Wildkats didn’t hold the advantage for long as Karen Sheeley tied the contest at 1-1 about seven minutes later with a high shot to the center of the net.
Ten minutes after Sheeley’s goal, teammate Samantha Adriaans sent a high floating shot towards the goal cage. The ball went over the Warwick goalie and into the net, giving Liberty United a 2-1 lead.
Less than two minutes later, Warwick tied the match at 2-2.
In the remaining moments of the half, Liberty United added two goals to take a 4-2 advantage at halftime. Jessica Stant and Sheeley, respectively, recorded those two goals for the home team.
Approximately 15 minutes into the second half, Adriaans scored what would become the final goal of the game.
Throughout the second half, Liberty United clamped down defensively on the Wildkats, allowing just a few shots and no goals.
“We were totally about defense in the second half,” Liberty United Coach Krys Stant said.
Stant and fellow Liberty United Coach Sue Sheeley were pleased with the win, which gave their team a record of 6-3. That mark was good enough for Liberty United to tie for second place in the final East Hudson League season standings.
Liberty United began the season 0-3, with two losses to East Fishkill and the other to a team from Westchester County. In addition, the team lost both of its starting goalkeepers in one of those matches.
But under the leadership of Stant and Sue Sheeley, the team won its final six matches.
One of the most dramatic victories was on November 12, when Paulina Kleinberger scored a goal with 30 seconds remaining to give Liberty United a 2-1 win against the Warwick Wildcats No. 3 team.
The two Liberty United coaches noted that the team was missing three of its top midfielders on Sunday afternoon, but the players were able to work together to achieve the victory.
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