U14 pg 10 9-27-12
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- Category: Past Issues
caption:
The NECONN Boys’ U14 soccer team. Courtesy photo.
Sept. 23 the NECONN boys’ U14 soccer team traveled to Hebron, but despite controlling the play for the majority of game, NECONN lost, 2-3.
It was a game that can be summed up in two ways: Hebron’s 6-foot-plus goaltender and their 30-yard shots. In a two-minute span midway through the first half, Hebron would notch two stunning goals when they launched balls from far outside the box that just tucked in under the crossbar. Down 2-0, NECONN would battle back and get one of their own when Ethan Werstler deflected a ball high through the crease that Evan Cunningham was able to head home. Up until that point, NECONN’s Sam Paul, Ryan Black, Zach Gagnon and Marco Suriano were thwarted time and time again by the extended size and reach of the Hebron goalie who was called upon to make countless saves.
Down 1-2 opening the second half, NECONN put immediate pressure on the Hebron backfield when Werstler,
William Hamill, Ian Sohan, Garrett Sward, Tristan Anderson and Josh Resnick dominated play.Hamill would strip the ball from a Hebron player just one minute into the half and send a ball behind the Hebron defense. Anderson sprinted under the bouncing ball and was in alone on the Hebron keeper when he was tripped from behind. David Redfield would step to the penalty spot and confidently place the ball into the left corner of the net to knot the score at two. From here on in, the NECONN defense of Redfield, Cal Wilcox, Travis Hayward, Collin Singleton, Travis Hayward and goaltender Elijah Dufour was outstanding. Nothing got passed them, and the NECONN offense was starting to roll. Then, lightening would strike a third time when at the 16-minute mark a Hebron player would boot a clearing ball on-net from about 30 yards out that had no reason to go in, but it did, just nicking the crossbar. Now down 2-3, NECONN threw everything they had at the Hebron defense. In the last 10 minutes of play, the ball may have crossed into the NECONN defensive half of the field once, but time and time again the Hebron goalie made a big save. Max Paro would hit the crossbar with the seconds ticking away, but the clock would run out and NECONN would go down with their first defeat of the season.
On Sept. 30 NECONN will take their 1-1-1 overall record and face Hebron’s U13 team at home on the Pomfret School campus at 2 p.m.