Pomfret pg 1 9-23-21
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POMFRET — In their first competitive performance since November of 2019, the Pomfret School boys’ varsity soccer team earned a hard fought victory over a talented Middlesex team. It was the team’s first victory over Middlesex since 2015, 2-1.
Just four minutes into the game, Middlesex earned a penalty kick and their talented #10 stepped up and took advantage. Down 1-0 just four minutes into the match it could have been easy for Pomfret to fold, but captains Ethan Forbes, Grant Maurer, and Eumir Rodriguez picked the team’s heads up and got back to work.
Just minutes later, Fred Coulibaly, Nate Watson, and Cole Castro tested Middlesex’s defense while Devin Walcott, Declan Chapman, and Maurer connected well around the pitch but came up short.
Defense also picked up as Gerald Gao, Forbes, Rodriguez, and Henry Cattell cut off channels and dealt with long balls effectively. Goalkeeper Austin Kendig commanded his box well and came up with some nice saves on long attempts by Middlesex. Caleb White, Nick Ferrucci, and Lawrence Viola played great minutes during the half.
Six minutes into the second half attaching efforts paid off as some nice combination play from Walcott, Maurer and Watson set Coulibaly into the box. His first attempt was saved by the keeper, but he was fouled on the rebound and buried his PK into the bottom corner. The game was tied, 1-1.
Hard work kept the game poised to end 1-1 but in the game’s final three minutes, Pomfret found something extra. It started with a Middlesex counter that looked dangerous, but a great sliding challenge by Rodriguez set Pomfret on its way down the field. Some quick passing in the middle allowed the ball to get out to the right flank where Maurer and Watson combined to find Ferrucci in space. He hit a hard driven shot on net that the Middlesex keeper pushed into the path of Chapman who finished off the move and scored with a final score of 2-1, Pomfret.
By Patrick Burke
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