The Lake Placid girls rode an early goal and another less than a minute before intermission to a 2-1 victory over visiting Chazy in Northern Soccer League Division action on their home pitch the North Elba Show Grounds.

Lindsey Rath got in on both tallies to lead Lake Placid. The junior set up a goal by Carsyn Rissberger 3:30 into the contest to lift the Blue Bombers to a 1-0 edge, and then ripped home what proved to be the game-winner with the first-half clock winding down to put her team up 2-0 at the time. Kendra Becker netted the Eagles’ lone tally, scoring midway through the second stanza to make the score a 2-1 final.

“For the first game, I’m very happy with how the girls played,” said Lake Placid head coach Brenden Gotham. “We did have a drop off in the second half, but overall, I think we played well. We have a lot of young girls and they really stepped up.”

Gotham said his defense played particularly strong in the match. He credited Shannon Bentley with a solid effort filling in for starting defender Rylee Preston, who left the match in the first half with an injury. Jen Godin also had a strong game, as did sweeper Camille Craig.

Megan Byrne of Lake Placid, right, and Chazy’s Kyra Becker battle for the ball in close quarters during Tuesday’s game. Byrne, a junior, assisted on the game-winning goal for the Blue Bombers. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

Rissberger, a sophomore, scored from about six yards out when she picked up a loose ball off a deflected shot by Rath and one-timed a shot through traffic past Chazy goalkeeper Abby Gonyo.

Rath then finished off a three-way passing play on a beautiful goal 46 seconds before intermission. On the play, Sophie Adragna chased down a ball on the left wing near the corner of the field and sent a pass to Megan Byrne at the top of the penalty box. Byrne then fed the ball to Rath, who trailed the play and boomed a left-footed shot high into the net.

The Blue Bombers missed an opportunity to increase their lead but came up empty on two point-blank shots within the span of a minute early in the second half. The Eagles then made it a tight contest down the stretch after Becker, a junior captain, scored through traffic with just over 13 minutes left in the game.

Lake Placid, however, held Chazy at bay the rest of the way to claim the win.

“I think on that first goal, we were kind of flat and a little overconfident going into the game,” Chazy head coach Samantha Signor said. “We just underestimated Lake Placid, and they took advantage of that. We did pick it up a little more in the second half, and I was happy to see that.

“Lake Placid went through that ball ruthlessly,” Signor continued. “They weren’t quitting, they weren’t giving any space between themselves and the ball. When that ball was coming in the air, they went through it. Defensively they’re fast. Lake Placid was quick back there. We lacked that gusto.”

Each team recorded seven shots on net. Blue Bombers senior goalkeeper Shelby Jewtraw finished with six saves and Gonyo had five for the Eagles.

“We have to work on some things, and work through some growing pains, but I think the kids are growing at the right rate,” Gotham said. “That was a big win for us. Chazy is a good team and we’re probably going to see them two more times.”

The Blue Bombers next play Thursday on the road under the lights against Ticonderoga. The Eagles, who posted a 1-1 mark in their first two non-league games, take on Moriah, also on Thursday.

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Lake Placid 2, Chazy 1

Blue Bombers 2 0 — 2

Eagles 0 1 — 1

Scoring

First Half

1. LP, Rissberger (Rath), 3:30; 2. LP, Rath (Byrne), 39;14.

Second Half

3. C, Becker (Lamoy), 26:52.

Shots: Lake Placid 7, Chazy 7

Saves: LP, Jewtraw 6; Chazy, Gonyo 5.