PITTSFORD — You can call Proctor's Sydney Wood "Prime Time." She only scores at the biggest moments. Earlier this year she had the golden goal in overtime to beat White River Valley 3-2. On Saturday, she scored the game-winner with 7:50 remaining in the game for a 3-2 victory over West Rutland in girls soccer action at Taranovich Field.
Wood's shot from 25 yards out cut just under the crossbar.
"This one meant a lot more because it came against our rival," Wood said.
The win keeps the Phantoms on track for an undefeated season at 12-0, but Wood said that's not even on her radar.
"I don't think about that. I just think about the next game," Wood said.
The next game is another big hurdle — Tuesday under the lights at Arlington.
Katelyn Storey got the Phantoms on the board first, her goal that was assisted by Maggie McKearin coming 12:58 into the game.
The Phantoms scored again 20:41 before the half. Maddie Flanders, who had been shooting into tough luck the last couple of games, tattooed the crossbar but McKearin put it away after a couple more bounces in the box, Kiera Pipeling cut the lead in half with a gorgeous shot from 25 yards out into the far corner.
The 2-1 lead stood at halftime.
"We knew at halftime that we had to put it in gear," Wood said.
"No doubt we came out flat," Proctor coach Chris Hughes said. "I think we underestimated them which we should never do because we know we are always going to get their best game."
Westside's Arianna Coombs made a strong bid early in the second half for the equalizer.
They did get the equalizer with 32:14 left when the Phantoms were called for a handball in the box. Pipeling drilled the penalty kick hard to the left of keeper Rachel Stuhlmueller and it was knotted 2-2.
The Phantoms threatened plenty the rest of the way but West Rutland goalie Serena Coombs had some terrific saves.
Serena also picked off a couple of dangerous looking crosses off the foot of Flanders.
Both teams came close but the only one that could find the back of the net again was Wood.
West Rutland coach Deanna Rodolfy's team is 11-2 with both losses coming at the hands of the Phantoms.
She knows there is a good chance the Phantoms and Golden Horde could cross paths again in the Division IV playoffs.
"I am looking forward to playing them when it counts. It'll be fun," Rodolfy said.
The M Squared offense of Maddie and Maggie is well known throughout the league. Hughes was happy that Storey and Wood were able to break through on this day, something that can take the pressure off Flanders and McKearin.
"We know other teams are going try to shut down Maggie and Maddie. We have got to get scoring from other people," Hughes said.
It was Proctor's homecoming game and it was played in front of a large crowd, giving the game a playoff atmosphere.
Everyone knew the Golden Horde could storm back after McKearin's goal bumped the lead to 2-0.
Proctor co-coach Scott French, in fact, yelled to his players "Zero-zero" as soon as they lined up for the kickoff with the score 2-0. The message: Play just as hard as if were still tied.
Thanks to Pipeling, it was tied up again soon enough.
The goalkeepers are a big part of the reason the Phantoms and Horde are at the top of the D-IV standings. Coombs and Stuhlmueller both had some outstanding saves.
Coombs was tested a bit more but Abi Farrow played a ball long that Pipeling was able to run onto for a blistering shot that Stuhlmueller denied with a diving save.
Kiana Grabowski also tested Stuhlmueller with a well struck direct kick but the junior keeper collected it in the air.
One of the greatest facets about the day for Proctor fans other than the victory was the play of Allie Almond on defense. She had been out with an injury most of the year and came back for the previous game against Long Trail.
Against the Mountain Lions, she did not seem nearly as effective as the standout the Phantom fans have grown accustomed to watching the previous three years. She was also playing in perceptible pain.
But on this day she was very close to her old self.
That bodes well for the Phantoms with the playoff pairings to be released on Oct. 21.
When they are released, Rutland County fans will examine them with an eye on when a third meeting could occur between the Phantoms and Horde because, as Rodolfy said, "It'll be fun."
