Bucks’ men’s soccer team
opened up their season last
Tuesday against the
Montgomery Mustangs, losing
5-1.
The Centurions started the
game well by putting pressure
on the Mustang defenders and
playing each possession to its
fullest.
The team seemed deflated
after striker J.J Natale scored
halfway through the first half.
It didn’t take long for the
Centurions to equalize the
game with a goal from Elvin
Jallah.
The Mustangs scored later in
the first half on a penalty kick
that was caused by a controversial
hand ball call on
Fatorna Greene.
Coach Justin Burroughs
stressed hustle during the halftime
talk. Mike Klimonicz substituted
for goalie Damen
Custer to start the second half.
The Centurions conceded
By:sTephen Godwin Jr.
Centurion Staff
another goal, giving the
Mustangs a 3-1 lead during a
set-piece corner kick.
The Mustangs scored two
more goals to close out the
game with the help of midfielder
Miguel Cortes, and forward
Joel Obiri-Asare.
Montgomery soccer coach
Matt Giordano said after the
game that, “Bucks actually
controlled the ball better in the
first half, but that we really
picked up in the second half.”
The game’s M.V.P., J.J
Natale, said, “It was a tough
first half, but I am very thankful
that my team was able to
put in more goals and set me
up with key passes.”
After the game, Burroughs
talked to his players and said
they performed poorly. He also
emphasized how they need to
play better in the future.
“They just outworked us and
we did not adjust on some
things,” Burroughs said.
He didn’t think that the
penalties or yellow cards handed
out had any effect on the
game’s outcome, but he did
think the officials might
have missed some calls.
Burroughs admitted that
he knows the players are
only human and the loss
can’t be blamed on penalties.
Goalie Damen Custer
thought the team had a
strong first half, but said,
“We looked sluggish in the
second half.”
The coach thought that
the team learned from this
game, saying, “I think they
realized the speed of the
game at the college level
and that it’s not like when
they played in high school.”
The day after the game,
Fatorna Greene, a
Centurion player said, “We just
have to work harder and make
the proper adjustments for
Northampton.”