Thursday, September 15, 2016

New-Look Reserves Earn a Pair of 6-0 Victories

The newly-reconstituted Reserve squads won a pair of 6-0 matches on Monday and Wednesday, with the Young Guys beating Sharon Academy and the Old Guys beating Kimball Union Academy.  Here are Coach Erik McEwen's reports:

Monday was a beautiful day for a match.  Even though it was warm afternoon, there was cool breeze and a hint that fall is coming.   As we looked over and saw these big Sharon Academy players there was a concern about the big guys in green.  Our game is soccer, though, and there was skill on the pitch.  Even though the match got started with disjointed feel, it soon became Hanover's game.  They settled down and started to move the ball around, and our players started threatening the goal.  Alec McDevitt and Henry Bernard had some close shots, but it was Theo Sparks who got the ball in the onion bag first.  After receiving the ball he got himself down to almost the base on the right side and launched a shot across the goal.  It had enough on it to make the goalie fumble it into the net.  The continued pressure created two more goals from Joe Zhang, whose skills and heads up play got his scoring started for the year.

  The second half was similar but the team decided to open it up a little with a 4-4-2.  This also yielded results.   Ian Surat-Mosher also recorded his first goal of the season.  He was at the end of a passing play involving four players in front of the net and coolly put it in.  The final goal of the day was by Andrew Enelow who broke through the back line and got his finishing foot on target for a goal to add to his assists from last week.  The defense of AJ Ristono and newcomer Deveon Martin locked down the field as well, while Lucas Brock continued to hustle and learn the position of holding midfielder.

Wednesday’s opening match with KUA began under threatening skies, which cleared in time for a good game.  From the outset the Old Guy squad looked good.  The first half was a show in possession, but the finishing was not quite there though.  Hanover finally broke through on a classic Joe Zhang goal. Gabe Loud was constant threat up top and he consistently drew a number of defenders and created space.  Joe realized this and capitalized on the opening, and used some good footwork placed a composed shot in the bottom of the net.  It would be the only goal of the half.

   The second half Hanover got their rhythm going, and quickly added to their tally.  Now with two forwards Hanover really started to press.  Joe Zhang while playing the attacking mid placed a thru pass to Gabe Loud who blasted a shot from the eighteen which finally found the back of the net. For the  third goal Gabe was in on the assist.   Lous made a run into the outside of the eighteen and was aware he now had two attacking partners with him and found Tenzing Rumrill, who got his second goal of the season with a strong right footed shot.  The fourth goal was truly a team effort.  After practicing short corners earlier in the week in what we thought was a somewhat disjointed drill, the effort paid off today.  Tenzing took a short corner to Harry Olszewski, who was checking to him from the 18.  Harry then played it back to defender Matthew Abilozek. He took a touch, and realizing how out of position the opposing defense were, made a low shot that crawled into the far corner of the net. With that shot, the Reserves have got a goal from forwards, midfielders, and now defense. Every class now has a goal to claim for their grade as well. It was truly a team goal.

The final goal was by Joe Zhang. He collected a pass from Gabe on top of the eighteen and calmly put the ball out of reach of the goalie with the pace and precision of a pass rather than a hurried strike.
The defense and holding midfielders once again completely shut down the opposition and left little to chance in the backfield, with always solid work from Avery Wallis, Dan Wilson, Dan Felde, Kezar Berger, and Harry Olszewski


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