By Jordan J. Michael

SCHOHARIE –– It was the Mattia Cornell show in Schoharie on Monday until Berne-Knox-Westerlo decided to score some goals of its own.

Cornell, a junior striker, scored the first three goals for the Schoharie girls’ soccer team during the first half at home against the Lady Bulldogs. BKW seemed at first to be out of it, but the team then scored three unanswered goals and went on to win, 5 to 4.

With the game knotted at 4 to 4 late in the second half, senior Victoria McCormick picked up a loose ball for BKW and lobbed it into an empty net for the winning goal. Indians’ goalie Sydney Stanley was out of the net after challenging Tuesday Bishop at the top of the box.

“That’s just how the game rolls, I guess,” said McCormick afterwards. “We decided to step it up and not play down.”

Makayla McCormick got the Lady Bulldogs going late in the first half when she raced after a weak pass to Stanley, knocking it past the keeper for the goal. Schoharie started the second half with a new goalie, Shanelle Wilms, but that couldn’t stop Marian Bates from chipping it over her for another goal.

Bates executed an additional goal minutes later after Sam Harvey made a smart play, setting up a free kick quickly at midfield. Harvey’s gorgeous arching kick was right on goal and clearly a surprise to Schoharie. The ball bounced around and Bates knocked it in for a 3-to-3 tie.

BKW was back to life and evidently excited.

“We weren’t playing the game I knew we could,” Head Coach Coriellen Travis said of the first half. “We were playing timid, instead of aggressive, but we turned it around.”

The Indians, obviously feeling the pressure, raced down the field to answer. Cornell dribbled to the far corner and crossed the ball, bouncing it off Kaitlyn Kendle’s hip as she crashed the goal. Schohaire was now ahead, 4 to 3.

Bates, the leading goal scorer in Section II last season, played hero once again for the Lady Bulldogs. She tied the game at 4 to 4 off a nice through ball by Makayla McCormick.

“We just needed to gain our confidence back,” Victoria McCormick said. “We did a great job.”

“I couldn’t be more proud as a coach,” Travis said after the game. “My girls showed true heart and determination. They give a lot.”

Monday’s game was a much-needed boost for BKW after flopping in its first game against Middleburgh, losing 6 to 0.

“I hope this gets us off and running,” said Travis.