NECONN pg 9 11-17-11
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Scores
NECONN’s William Liscomb scores against Ellington. Photo courtesy of Jenn McGroary.
In the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association semifinal game for boys’ U14 teams, second-seed NECONN dropped a hard-fought contest to third-seed Ellington by the score of 1-2. It was a very well played game that saw good, competitive soccer displayed by both teams.
In the early going, it was the NECONN defense that set the tone. Jonathan Hummer minded the net and fullbacks Jack Liggett, David Redfield, Alec Nystrom and Cal Wilcox denied Ellington solid looks at the goal.
Up front, Ryan Black, Robert Totten and Chris Walker were creating opportunities, but the Ellington defense was equally as stingy.
Late in the first half, Ellington was awarded a corner-kick. Although the kick was a benign low-liner that bounced through the goalie box, it somehow evaded numerous NECONN kicks to clear and ended up on the far post where an opportune Ellington player knocked it into the net.
Down 0-1 but not discouraged, NECONN went back to work. A fresh forward line of Aaron Lambert, Ethan Rogers and Evan O’Connor turned up the pressure, but the half would come to an end with NECONN still sporting a deficit.
When the second half started, Chris Walker rotated into the net and Ryan Black proceeded to create breakaway opportunities that really put Ellington back on their heels. Finally, with ten minutes gone in the half, David Redfield would take a direct kick and place it perfectly just inside the Ellington box. Max Paro got under the ball and deflected it over to William Liscomb who volleyed it over the Ellington keeper’s outstretched arms and into the net.
With the scored tied 1-1, the game really opened up. Elijah Dufour and Sean McGroary gave the team some fresh legs and Walker made a tremendous save to keep the game knotted at one each.
With 15 minutes left in the game, Ellington put some sustained pressure on the NECONN defense, and their persistence finally paid off with a well deserved goal. Now down 1-2, NECONN proceeded to push people forward to create the equalizer, but time would run out for both the game and NECONN’s season.
NECONN’s 4-1-3 regular season record was good for second place in the nine-team league.
Of the 20-man roster, 16 of the players will be age-eligible to return to the U14 roster next year and make another run at the title.