POPLAR RIDGE - After Southern Cayuga's offense spent the first half missing scoring opportunities, the Chiefs' defense spent the second half doling them out to the Elmira Notre Dame Crusaders.

Sloppy play in its own end and a failure to connect on key passes caused the Chiefs boys' soccer team to fall 2-0 to the Crusaders on Tuesday. It was the second time Southern Cayuga (5-2-2) fell to the Crusaders this season.

Though Elmira Notre Dame got off to a strong start, in complete control of the ball during the opening minutes of play, the Chiefs looked like the stronger team in the first half.

Senior Chris Hilliard and junior Jon Hughes generated scoring chance after scoring chance, but not once were the Chiefs able to piece it together and find the back of the net.

"We just didn't get it done," Hughes said. "We didn't work as a team."

The problem for the Chiefs was capitalizing. Southern Cayuga finished the game with the lead in shots, 14-13, and in corner kicks, 7-2.

However, the Chiefs always seemed to be a second too late in pulling the trigger on a shot or sending a crossing pass to the middle.

"One of our fundamental problems right now is we hang on to the ball too long," Chiefs coach Terry Underwood said. "It allows the defensive team to get more (players) back."

While execution may have been a problem for the Chiefs, credit also goes to the Crusaders' defense. On several occasions Hughes sprinted down the left sideline, beat a defender but couldn't find an open Chief in front of the net. Elmira Notre Dame's defense was smothering and cleared nearly every pass attempt out of danger.

When the Chiefs did manage to fire shots, they were blocked by defenders or sailed over the goal - including a rocket off the foot of junior Chris Driscoll that shot over the cross bar with one second remaining in the first half.

"They have a good offense and good size," Crusaders' coach Thomas Phoummany said. "We tried to keep them out of position as much as we could."

To do so Phoummany used a strategy of quick touches in an effort to keep the Chiefs moving after the ball, drawing them out of position. The plan worked to near perfection as the Chiefs chased the Crusaders through a majority of the game.

It ran like clockwork on the Crusaders' first goal. Matt Earley sprinted down the middle of the field, before tapping the ball to his left, where Chris Rhoades had broken around his defender.

He dribbled once and then rolled a quick shot to the far corner to give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. Elmira Notre Dame added another goal eight minutes into the second half.

"Elmira Notre Dame did a nice job of one-two passing," he said. "Some of our players seem to get involved with individual types of attacking."

The Chiefs will attempt to regroup against Newfield tonight.

"Certainly you have these kinds of games," Underwood said. "Maybe it'll be a wakeup call for some of our players."