SKANEATELES - The Skaneateles boys' soccer team fought off the effects of playing three games in five days, scoring two second-half goals to beat Cato-Meridian 2-0 Friday afternoon at Skaneateles High School. The non-league win puts the Lakers at 5-2-2 overall.
The Lakers had little trouble taking the ball away from the Blue Devils in the first half, holding Cato-Meridian to two shots. The trouble came when the Lakers had the ball, waiting until 12:00 left in the half to record their first of nine shots on goal.
The second half, though, was a different story. After a couple missed crosses, Devin Lynch beat Blue Devil goalkeeper Colin Antonik from the left side at 33:37. The goal was almost another missed opportunity, however, as the pass from Brian Nicholson went under the legs of Greg Stucker before Lynch tracked it down. Chris Welch added an insurance goal at 14:37 on a diving header in front of the net.
"We didn't come out with the intensity we needed," Skaneateles coach Kirk Atwater said. "But we came back in the second half and did what we needed to do."
The Lakers looked tired in the first half, but they still dominated time of possession and held the Blue Devils without a shot on goal. Antonik was kept busy in the first half despite just three shots on goal.
The first threat came at 19:00 on a run from Stucker to Nicholson, but the attempted header was a hair too high. Three minutes later, Antonik blocked Jeff Mayo's shot and the Blue Devils' defense cleared the ball. The first shot on goal, Trey Savage's header, went right into the hands of Antonik. Cato-Meridian had the final threat of the half on a side-out at 4:30, but Skaneateles keeper Sam Sarofeen punched the ball away.
The Lakers offense showed up in the second half, scoring twice on six shots on goal. The Cato-Meridian offense also picked up the pace just missing on a clean cross over the middle from Brandon Rubadou to Jeremy Brand at 20:00. The Lakers out-shot the Blue Devils 16 to 10. The Lakers defense recorded its second shutout in three days. Skaneateles tied Westhill on Wednesday, 0-0.
"Our defense has been holding us down, and our offense was trying to get them clicking," Atwater said. "But the defense kept us in the game (today)."
Atwater hopes to put the whole package together as the Lakers go back to league play and challenge Bishop Ludden, which beat them 2-1 on Monday. The Lakers are 2-1-1 in league play.
"We're off to a good start," Atwater said. "We just need to keep working hard every day and take the little steps to get better."
The second half, though, was a different story. After a couple missed crosses, Devin Lynch beat Blue Devil goalkeeper Colin Antonik from the left side at 33:37. The goal was almost another missed opportunity, however, as the pass from Brian Nicholson went under the legs of Greg Stucker before Lynch tracked it down. Chris Welch added an insurance goal at 14:37 on a diving header in front of the net.
"We didn't come out with the intensity we needed," Skaneateles coach Kirk Atwater said. "But we came back in the second half and did what we needed to do."
The Lakers looked tired in the first half, but they still dominated time of possession and held the Blue Devils without a shot on goal. Antonik was kept busy in the first half despite just three shots on goal.
The first threat came at 19:00 on a run from Stucker to Nicholson, but the attempted header was a hair too high. Three minutes later, Antonik blocked Jeff Mayo's shot and the Blue Devils' defense cleared the ball. The first shot on goal, Trey Savage's header, went right into the hands of Antonik. Cato-Meridian had the final threat of the half on a side-out at 4:30, but Skaneateles keeper Sam Sarofeen punched the ball away.
The Lakers offense showed up in the second half, scoring twice on six shots on goal. The Cato-Meridian offense also picked up the pace just missing on a clean cross over the middle from Brandon Rubadou to Jeremy Brand at 20:00. The Lakers out-shot the Blue Devils 16 to 10. The Lakers defense recorded its second shutout in three days. Skaneateles tied Westhill on Wednesday, 0-0.
"Our defense has been holding us down, and our offense was trying to get them clicking," Atwater said. "But the defense kept us in the game (today)."
Atwater hopes to put the whole package together as the Lakers go back to league play and challenge Bishop Ludden, which beat them 2-1 on Monday. The Lakers are 2-1-1 in league play.
"We're off to a good start," Atwater said. "We just need to keep working hard every day and take the little steps to get better."
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