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Boys Soccer Season Off to Slow Start… Oct. 8, 2014

Oct. 8, 2014
By Michael James LeClairsoccerball

The Nashoba Regional boys’ soccer team continued its early season struggles on Tuesday night, Sept. 30.Oct. 8, 2014

The Chieftains welcomed Hudson High School to Bolton and the visiting Hawks proved to be too much for the hosts as they notched a 2-0 victory under the lights.

With the loss the Chieftains fell to 0-5-2 while the Hawks improved to 5-4-1.

Joao Mendes and Mike Conley each scored goals to pace Hudson to the victory while goalie Ryan Lyman made four saves to secure the shutout.

“It comes down to good technique and paying attention to details, composure and general discipline,” said Nashoba head coach Jim McKinley. “Hat’s off to Hudson, they got it done. They didn’t do anything really special and spectacular, but what they do works for them. The playing conditions were ideal. We had a little rain so the conditions were slick and the ball rides really well on the carpet.”

At the other end of the field Nashoba goalie starting goalie John Czekanski and mid game substitute David Czapkowski each made some big stops to keep the Chieftains in the contest. Czekanski turned away eight shots he faced while Czapkowski made four saves during his abbreviated time in the net.

“Our goalies played really well. We just can’t find the back of the net, offensively, we’re in a bad rut,” said McKinley. “We had some opportunities to find the back of the net but we couldn’t finish. It was a combination of bad technique and guys not knowing how to relax when they’re on the field.”

The Hawks spread their scoring out pretty evenly over the match as they struck for single goals in the first and second half.

Hudson made it a 1-0 contest during the ninth minute of action in the first half when Mendes beat the Nashoba defense and found himself on a breakaway from 30 yards out. Mendes tumbled into Czekanski, who came out to challenge the scoring play. Mendes put the ball towards the right corner of the net as he was crashing to the ground and the ball found the twine for a quick Hawks lead.

Nashoba had opportunities to net the equalizer, applying some offensive pressure to the Hawks defense and spending time in the attacking third of the field. Isaac Luke, Ryan Courtney and Sebastian Tommassi all played well for the Chieftains up front, however, Nashoba couldn’t cash in before the halftime whistle as the Hawks enjoyed a 1-0 lead at intermission.

In the second half the Chieftains once again made a play to pot the game-tying goal. Courtney had an opportunity eight minutes into the half when he beat his defender with the ball in the left corner but his blast went wide left of the net.

Hudson answered a minute later during the 49th minute of the match when Conley beat the Nashoba net minder with a scoring bid to make it 2-0.

The Chieftains made the goalie change immediately following the Hawks second goal as Czapkowski protected the net the remainder of the contest.

Nashoba had one more significant scoring chance the rest of the way when David Gauld’s boot from the left wing was ticketed for the back of the net until Lyman stepped up and made the save.

The Nashoba effort didn’t go with fault as the Chieftains were issued one yellow card in the match when Nolan Brassardran into the Hudson goalie in an attempt to make a play on a ball.

While the loss stung for the Chieftains, it didn’t take long for them to bounce back as Nashoba regrouped and defeated host Quabbin Regional 4-2 on Thursday afternoon in Barre.

Riley Brooks and Griffin Bennett scored in the first half to give the host Panthers a 2-0 lead at the break, but the Chieftains rallied.

Nashoba scored four unanswered second-half goals to secure their first victory of the season. Brody Miller, Brassard, Czapaowski and Courtney scored for Nashoba. Brassard’s tying goal came on a penalty kick and Czapaowski’s winner was with 18 minutes left. The win improved the Chieftains season record to 1-5-2 as they returned to action on Tuesday afternoon with a trip to Groton-Dunstable Regional.