Shenendehowa senior Emma Wilders picks up a loose ball during a game against Bethlehem on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
DELMAR — Dating back to the preseason, the Shenendehowa girls’ lacrosse team has gotten used to overcoming adversity. That preparation ensured that Shen was up to the task when Bethlehem made a run late in regulation to send Saturday’s Suburban Council game to overtime.
After drawing a foul with three seconds left in the first overtime, senior Aidyn Tlusty’s free-position goal lifted Shen to a 12-11 road win over Bethlehem.
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Tlusty’s goal, her third of the afternoon, came moments after Shen goalkeeper Julianna Battuello denied a Bethlehem free-position attempt to keep the game going.
“We just battled, they competed, they stuck with it, they believed,” Shenendehowa coach Bobby Karl said. “She (Battuello) has been the backbone to our entire team and our defense. She makes big saves in big moments.”
Following a Shen timeout with 14 seconds left in overtime, Karl’s squad went out and secured the game-winner to move its record to 9-1.
Shenendehowa celebrates a goal during a game against Bethlehem on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Shenendehowa senior Emma Wilders heads up field in front of Bethlehem defender Julia Pauze on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
The Shenendehowa team during a game against Bethlehem on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Bethlehem celebrates a goal during a game against Shenendehowa on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Shenendehowa senior Aidyn Tlusty looks for an opening in front of Bethlehem junior Lucy Buff on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Shenendehowa senior Aidyn Tlusty looks takes a shot in front of Bethlehem junior Ava Austin on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Bethlehem goalie Charleigh Eick makes a save during a game against Shenendehowa on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Shenendehowa goalie Juliana Battuello makes saves a shot by Bethlehem freshman Emilia Palella on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Shenendehowa senior Emma Wilders takes a shot during a game against Bethlehem on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Shenendehowa senior Carline Follis is checked by Bethlehem junior Hailey Bushart on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
“We were running a screen on the backside with two of our attackers but if they weren’t open, I was just going to go,” Tlusty said. “I really did want the win for our team. It was really important for us to push ourselves in the last few minutes and get there.”
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The last few minutes were dominated by Bethlehem (7-3) as the Eagles trailed 11-8 before scoring three goals in a span of two minutes and nine seconds, including the game-tying goal by junior Gabby Pesca with 2:07 left to play.
“We just wanted to keep our composure, we were playing at our level and they were meeting us there,” Tlusty said. “We had some adaptations we had to make on defense and we made them. The win is going to raise our confidence, we all pushed really hard to get the win.”
Shen jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first quarter on a pair of goals from Emma Wilders and one each by Ella Ryan and Caroline Follis, and increased the lead to 5-0 on Tlusty’s first goal early in the second.
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Bethlehem rallied for three goals by Lauren Brodeur, Lauren Sinue and Pesca in a span of 1:01 to get back in the game before going into halftime down 8-7.
Bethlehem junior Hailey Bushart looks for an opening in front of Shenendehowa senior Cariline Follis on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Delmar, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Shen has been playing all season without standout junior Macy Zeilman, who tore her ACL in October and is out for the season.
Zeilman, who has committed to play at Notre Dame, scored 54 goals to pair with 12 assists during her sophomore season, has been missed, but Karl noted that Shen is getting contributions from up and down the lineup all season.
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“Each game, different girls offensively step up. Today it was Emma and Aidyn,” Karl said. “It’s a total team and we are starting to play together. It is what we are looking for.”
Wilders, one of seven seniors on the Shen roster, finished with a game-high four goals and three ground balls. She said the team has rallied around each other all season, beginning when the news of Zeilman’s injury broke.
“We all love Macy, she is an amazing player but knowing going into the season that we were losing one of our star players was a hard challenge and we all realized as a team that we needed to step up and we are doing that well,” Wilders said. “This year, our senior class has been playing together since we were young and we work well together. We’re all passing and getting amazing looks and it works really well. It is great teamwork with a lot of team bonding.”
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Ryan and Follis each finished with two goals with Emerson Breen netting one for Shen.
Pesca led Bethlehem with three goals and the Eagles received two scores each from Brodeur, Sinue, Hailey Bushart and one from eighth-grader Emilia Palella.