Cicero-North Syracuse girls soccer has an exceptionally young team this season.
With just two seniors and a junior on the roster, the Northstars have a total of 17 underclassmen.
The spirited youngsters, however, stepped up to guide C-NS to a 1-0 win over Class AAA foe Fayetteville-Manlius on Wednesday.
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"The girls played well tonight," C-NS coach Jeremy Lenchert said. "It's always good to win. We're young, so sometimes there's inconsistency, but we pulled it together and won tonight."
The Northstars and Hornets were immersed in a defensive battle, with most of the contest taking place in the middle third of the field.
Inside the 20-minute mark of the second half, C-NS started to apply some pressure to F-M's defense.
At 16:51, Northstar midfielder Emery Kozdemba drew a foul. In line for a direct kick, the sophomore watched as her kick sailed over the head of F-M goalie Mackenzie Murphy and into the net.
"It was a good (goal) for her," Lenchert said. "She's scored a number of goals for us this season, and she stepped up for us there when we needed her."
C-NS sophomore Natalie LaPoint, the team's starting goalkeeper, made some clutch saves down the stretch. The Northstars also proceeded to milk the clock and ice the victory.
LaPoint finished with four saves for the Northstars.
"(LaPoint) played well. She's gaining her voice and confidence out there," Lenchert said. "We just need to keep working. When we're working 100% the entire game, good things happen. That's what happened tonight."
Murphy tallied six saves in net for the Hornets.
C-NS (9-5-1) faces Lowville at noon Saturday. The team will then prepare for the Class AAA tournament. "We're feeling pretty good about our chances," Lenchert said. "There's a lot of talent there. If we stay healthy, we can make a good run in sectionals."
