St. Thomas Aquinas JV Boys Soccer vs. Exeter Reserve
The Saints played host to the Exeter Reserve team in the rubber game of their three game set. Each team had won previously 2-1, but both games were played at Exeter. Today St. Thomas got to play their first game on the home varsity field.
Since coach Suleski was doing double duty as Varsity and JV coach he brought back Adam Bermingham and Jason Suleski to play for the day. Having the original JV team back together again felt good.
Players get ready before the game.
Collin McBride took up his regular spot between the posts for the Saints. Sweeper Gabe Perreault and stopper Jon Campolo along with fullbacks Bryan Collins and Max Olsen took up their defensive positions. The midfield was made up of Richard Howard, Matt Roginski, Jamie Phontharaska, and Justin Guilbert. While Kevin Schneider and Tom Carroll took up the Striker positions.
St. Thomas looked and played very well on the larger field. They passed and controlled the ball for most of the play.
Exeter did have one big stopper though.
10 minutes into the game the team substituted and sent in a whole new group.
Faisal Gurwala and Pat O'Brien went in at Strikers. Brian Sullivan, Chris Rignoli, Andy Stone, and Adam Bermingham went in at mid field and Jason Suleski went in at Stopper.
The Saints prepare to defend against a direct kick as the setting sun leaves long shadows on the field.
Coach Suleski subbed his two squads back and forth every ten minutes.
St. Thomas defense held strong in the first half only allowing 1 shot on McBride.
Collins marks up on the Blue Hawk Striker.
Perreault clears out another failed Exeter attack.
The half ended in a 0-0 tie with the Saints out shooting the Blue Hawks 11-1
St. Thomas came out in the second half with the same starting line-up.
The game got more physical as each team tried to break the tie.
Guilbert races the Blue Hawk Keeper to a through ball.
McBride Punts away a stopped Exeter attack.
Once again the Saints line up to defend against a direct kick.
With 15:07 left in the game Roginski sent a through pass to Howard who beat the Blue Hawk keeper to send the Saints up 1-0.
St. Thomas strikers Schneider and Guilbert try to get by the Exeter defense.
However Exeter came right back less than 4 minutes later to score on a scramble in front of the St. Thomas net. The game was tied 1-1.
The Saints came back with a fury trying to win the game before overtime. The last 9 minutes of the game was played in the Blue Hawks end. St. Thomas out shot Exeter in the second half 15-5.
Suleski gets some big air as he flicks the ball to Stone.
The game ended in a tie and the teams prepared for overtime.
The Saints took the field for overtime with McBride in net, Perreault, Olsen, Collins and Campolo on defense. The midfield was Howard, Suleski, Phontharaksa, and Sullivan. O'Brien and Bermingham were on the point as strikers.
Campolo played a great game at stopper both defending and coming forward to join the offense.
With four minutes left in the first overtime period, Bermingham was replaced by Carroll after taking a hard shot to the face. Gurwala went in for O'Brien and Rignoli went in for Sullivan.
Both teams battled for the win in a very physical game. The more time that ticked off the clock, the more fouls the referee called.
With three minutes left in the second overtime period, Gurwala had a break away, but the Exeter defender cut out his legs fouling him rough enough to get sent -off by the referee with a card.
Both teams had a few minutes to rest while Gurwala was attended to by the trainer.
St. Thomas dominated the play for the last three minutes, but was unable to score.
The game ended in a 1-1 tie.
The Saints out shot the Blue Hawks 32-8 in an amazing game.
St. Thomas takes the long bus ride to Monadnock on Friday.