Details
Martlets Wrestle Bears to a 1-1 Tie
On a beautiful fall afternoon for soccer, Westminster hosted the always-strong Berkshire Bears in a hard-fought match that ended in a 1-1 tie. Both teams battled for the full 90 minutes of the contest, and both had good periods of possession and generated their share of scoring chances. The Martlets broke through first in the 35th minute, countering quickly after a Berkshire offensive foray. Percy Sibanda '20 skillfully played a ball down the left touchline to a streaking Boniface Fatohou '23, who beat his man, turned the corner, and placed a perfect pass on the penalty spot, where it was met by a crashing Xander Cardia '21 and hammered home. That goal stunned the Bears and energized the Martlets. Though the half ended with the home side up 1-0, Berkshire pressed the Black and Gold end hard, and Westminster had to call on keeper Lucas Wahlberg '21 repeatedly. Wahlberg was equal to the task, turning in several fine saves on the day. He was aided in this stalwart defensive effort by his steady back line of Greyson Pane '22, captain Will Lynch '20, John Clofine '21 and Wylie Clarke '21, all of whom played well against the Bears talented attack. Westminster continued to match Berkshire through the first part of the second half, searching to extend its lead. But unfortunately for the Martlets, Berkshire's mounting pressure paid dividends when, in the 65th minute, a fast break led to a hard cross drilled across the penalty box; that crossing attempt struck a Martlet defender, his head turned to cover his man, and bounded into the Westminster net: an own goal to tie the game at 1-1. Far from losing heart, the lads dug deep, weathered Berkshire's burst that followed the equalizer, and managed to produce several near-misses in the Bears' end. The last 20 minutes were wide open and increasingly physical, as both teams vied for the win. But in the end, the 1-1 score stood. For the Martlets, a good tie against a very strong and highly-ranked team. Special mention to John Picard '22, seemingly everywhere, and the tireless, gritty captain Ryan Messina '20, who together held the middle of the field. The tie keeps the playoff hopes of the team alive, and the team will have to duplicate the effort against a tough Kent team on the road Wednesday and then the season finale at home against Brunswick next Saturday. Many thanks to the fans who came out to support the team.
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