Sandwich Knights Defeat Bass Strikers In Men's Soccer

By: Dan Crowley
Published: 06/22/12

 Outstanding defensive play led the way for Sandwich Wednesday night as they picked up their first win of the summer season with a 2-0 defeat of the Bass Strikers. Brian German anchored the backfield that held the Bass Strikers to just two shots on goal, both of which keeper Kyle Van Cleef stopped. Along with German, Steve Scanlon, Jake Hyland and Shane Garner played very well in not allowing the Bass Strikers a good look at the net. All four defenders played a key role in the transition game, launching the attack which picked up steam as the match continued.

Nick Cotter went after the Bass Striker net just two minutes into the match with a hard shot. Kevin Green was next in the fifth minute, going after the net, only to have his shot sail just over the top.

The highlight of the offense for Sandwich came in the 25th minute when JD Drumm, surrounded by defenders, took a bicycle kick that flew into the net over the surprised keeper’s head.

Bass River played aggressively, marking closely, keeping the Sandwich offense in check. But by the midway point in the opening half, the Strikers were no longer able to contain Sandwich up front. The Sandwich passing game became more accurate and the speed up front was wearing the defense down. Peter Alvarenga nearly broke through in the 32nd minute with a sliding kick from the top of the box. Alvarenga then tried to lob the ball over the keeper’s head, only to have it land on top of the net.

In the 42nd minute the Bass Strikers came close in getting into the net when two players found themselves with an open shot from about 10 yards out, but before either could muster the shot, German came from the side and, sliding between the two players, kicked the ball away.

Sandwich took their 1-0 lead into the second half and once again went right after the Bass Striker net. Eric Alvarenga launched a shot that spun from left to right, but the keeper caught up to it, knocking it aside. In the 66th minute Cotter collected a long lead pass from Ben Clabault and slipped the defense and charged in on the Bass Striker net from the right side. In a split second, Cotter lined up his shot and Sandwich took a 2-0 lead.

A minute after the Cotter goal, the Bass Strikers had their best chance of the night with a header coming out of a scramble in front of the net. Van Cleef was in position, but the ball landed on the wrong side of the crossbar, bouncing off the top of the net.

Paul Alvarenga and Andrew Krikorian combined on a nice play in the 69th minute, with Krikorian’s shot slipping just wide of an open corner.

In the 74th minute Van Cleef made his only save of the second half, slapping away a hard shot from his right. Garner and Peter Alvarenga each had scoring chances in the final minutes, with Garner’s shot going just wide and the Striker keeper making a sliding save on the bid by Alvarenga.

Sandwich (1-1-1) outshot the Bass Strikers, 13-2.

The club will play a makeup game today with the Wellfleet Breakers at 6 PM at the Oak Ridge School and then host the Falmouth Tide on Sunday, also at Oak Ridge at 6 PM.

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