Albany, NY - The Panthers took on YSCC rival the CMCC Mustangs Friday night in an exciting doubleheader.
The women kicked off their game at 5pm and came out firing, getting off 11 shots before the Mustangs even got their first one. Led by Julia Roemer (Latham, NY) and Ka'ena Kehano (Wailuku, HI) who finished the game with 6 and 8 shots respectively, the Panthers played very aggressively early on. Despite controlling the ball for the first half, the game was scoreless at halftime.
In the second half, control of the ball evened out between the teams with both sides getting 8 shots off. About ten minutes into the half, one of those shots found the back of the net for the Mustangs, with another one doing the same about ten minutes after that. However, the 2-0 lead didn't last long for the Mustangs as Roemer scored her 7th goal of the season off a pass from Mya Wright (Liverpool, NY) to cut the lead back down to 1.
For the rest of the game, the Panthers played with urgency to try to tie the game, getting off some final shots that ultimately fell short. Losing by only a point, the Panthers fall to 2-3 on the season.
After the women's game, the men also took on the Mustangs. The much taller Mustangs used their height to their advantage, controlling the ball for a majority of the first half. They found the back of the net twice, one of which from a penalty kick, earning a 2-0 lead at the half.
Riding the momentum from the first half, the Mustangs scored two more goals to push their lead to 4 points. Sahil Arora (Waterford, NY) led the way with 3 shots, but the undersized Panthers struggled to keep the ball on the offensive. They ended up losing by a score of 4-0.
It was a rough night for the Panthers who will look to bounce back on Sunday afternoon when they both take on UMaine Augusta. Prior to Sunday's games, the seniors from both teams will be honored for their careers with the Panthers!
How to follow the Panthers: For the latest information on ACPHS athletics, visit acphspanthers.com or check out the ACPHS athletics social media platforms on Instgram @ACPHSPanthers or X @ACPHSAthletics.
Written by Angelo Oddo.
