No matter what, Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove’s junior captain was not coming out of the game.

Roth controlled the middle of the field and scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal as the third-seeded Golden Cougars beat No. 2 Southwestern 4-1 in a Section VI Class B semifinal at the Fran Sirianni Athletic Complex.

“It was a great game. We came out hard, I think that helped us a lot,” Roth said postgame. “We really wanted this game.”

The victory vaults the defending sectional champions into Saturday’s 6:30 p.m. final against No. 5 Allegany-Limestone at Williamsville North High School. The Gators beat No. 9 Fredonia 5-1 in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

The Trojans’ Mikaela Luce (13) and Golden Cougars’ Sydnee Snow battle for possession. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“We had a feeling we were going to see them. They are a great team, but we just have to stick to our game plan,” Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove head coach Brett Johnson said. “If we come out and do what we did tonight, hopefully we’ll be alright.”

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove controlled possession for much of the first half on Charles A. Lawson Field and was rewarded with corner kicks in the 11th and 13th minutes. In between, junior Kylie Kress took a shot that was saved by Trojans senior keeper Braya Beaver, but then glanced off the crossbar and out of bounds.

On the ensuing corner kick, the ball bounced around inside the 6-yard box and a shot from Kress was blocked before the rebound eventually found the foot of Mary Lundmark in a crowd. The senior eventually pounded home her ninth goal of the season to give the Golden Cougars a 1-0 lead.

“Our team really emphasizes playing well in the air. That’s just something that helps us a lot,” Roth said. “We try to capitalize on those corners, especially in the air, when we have those opportunities.”

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove added on in the 29th minute. A bad Southwestern outlet pass was picked off by Roth, who found herself with a rare moment of space. In front of the Trojans’ bench, about 30 yards away from the goal, Roth took a touch and then unleashed a right-footed shot destined for the far side of the net that glanced off Beaver’s left hand and into the net for a 2-0 lead on Roth’s 14th goal of the season.

Southwestern’s Olivia Goeckel (22) and Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove’s Kylie Kress (13) attempt to settle a ball along the sideline during Tuesday’s Section VI Class B semifinal at the Fran Sirianni Athletic Complex in West Ellicott. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“It’s a smart play. She kind of drifts out and you are trying to protect the middle of the field,” Southwestern head coach Derek Houser said of Roth. “She gets a look and puts it in a spot where Braya could get a hand on it, but not enough of it.”

“I know I have a long shot. I know my abilities. They really had me in the midfield,” Roth said. “I knew once I had enough space I could take the shot and luckily it went in.”

After halftime, Southwestern did better to match the possession and intensity of the Golden Cougars. In the 52nd minute, the Trojans were awarded a free kick from 23 yards away after a yellow card, but junior Marlana Cresanti’s shot was right at Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove junior keeper Ellyson Baglia, who made a relatively easy save.

“The first half was definitely a better half. We had a lot more energy,” Johnson said. “They came out with that energy and we didn’t match it in the second half. It got a little scary there for a few minutes, but we weathered the storm.”

In the 68th minute, Southwestern finally broke through when a Golden Cougars handball inside the 18-yard box gave the Trojans a penalty kick. Cresanti stepped to the line and her first shot was actually saved by a diving Baglia, but the rebound went directly to Cresanti, who buried her 15th goal of the season to make it a one-goal game.

“We got a break and Ellyson made a great save on the PK, but Marlana was smart and there to finish the play,” Houser said. “You feel good because as hard as it was, you are back in it.”

Lundmark, who eventually shifted back to more of a defensive role later in the game, ran through the middle of the defense to clear a dangerous ball with about six minutes remaining to keep her team in the lead.

“I felt really good about how we came out in the second half. It could’ve been very easy to fold and the girls didn’t,” Houser said. “Falconer is very disciplined, it’s very hard to get chances off of them.”

That proved valuable less than two minutes later when Kress scored her ninth goal of the season just inside the post to Beaver’s right to regain a two-goal lead for her team.

“Kylie played great today. We play together for travel so we have great chemistry and I know where she’s going to be on the field,” Roth said. “She’s a hard worker and she really adds a lot to our team.”

Then, less than a minute later, Kress saved a throw-in that nearly rolled out along the endline. She then somehow got the ball to the front of the Southwestern goal where sophomore Sydnee Snow tapped it over the line for her sixth goal of the year.

“She’s a huge threat. Just her presence on the field is huge,” Johnson said of Kress. “I thought she played one of her best games of the year tonight.”

Now the Golden Cougars will deal with Allegany-Limestone in the sectional final for the second straight year. Last November, they beat the Gators 2-1 at Hamburg High School. In two regular-season meetings this fall, the teams split with Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove winning 3-1 at Bill Race Field and Allegany-Limestone winning 2-0 on its home field.

“I’m really looking forward to playing Allegany,” Roth said. ” … If we come out with the same intensity and the same mentality, I think we’ll do well.”

“We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Johnson added. “It definitely feels like we’re peaking at the right time and playing some good soccer.”