One goal enough as Hollis Brookline boys soccer opens with win over Souhegan
HOLLIS – When two high school coaches describe their teams play as hesitant and nervous, that the players are still working things out, it’s a safe bet the game was a season opener.
HOLLIS – When two high school coaches describe their teams play as hesitant and nervous, that the players are still working things out, it’s a safe bet the game was a season opener.
Both Hollis Brookline’s Rick Carvalho and Souhegan’s Dave Saxe had similar sentiments about the way their boys soccer teams opened the 2012 season against each other, a game that ended in a 1-0 win for HB.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” Carvalho said. “It’s the first game of the season, and we’re trying to work out some of the kinks.”
“It’s the first real game,” Saxe said. “We’re still playing a little nervous. We started to shake that off, especially in the second half. I still see some fitness issues. We’ve got to play the ball quicker and keep the ball more. Those are things we’ll pick up in the next couple of weeks.”
Ian Rowe scored the only goal of the game, giving the Cavaliers the lead in the 36th minute. HB had plenty of other opportunities, but the Cavs either hesitated with the ball or Souhegan goalie Brendan Dix made a save.
Dix finished the game with six saves, but broke up several scoring chances by charging out to cut off the ball.
“His bravery in the box was outstanding,” Saxe said of Dix. “He was awesome. He was great with communication. He was good catching the ball. We’ve got a solid No. 1 (goalie).”
Carvalho, too, was impressed with the play of the Sabers’ keeper, but felt his team could have made more of its chances.
“Brendan played great in goal,” he said. “We did hesitate too often and that was our talk at halftime. The opportunities are there, now take advantage of them.
“They always make good halftime adjustments. There’s a reason Dave (Saxe) has been there 17 or 18 years. It had a lot to do with them. They were probably better than we expected.”
Rowe’s goal came after HB’s Johnny O’Neil brought the ball down the left side of the field and sent a centering pass in front of the Souhegan goal. But no Cavs were there and Souhegan’s Sam Leedy tried to clear it.
The ball made it out of the penalty box, but went right to Rowe, who moved around one defender before setting himself up for the shot.
“It came about thanks to pressure,” Carvalho said. “Ian Rowe, who has come a long way since last year, capitalized on an opportunity. He got around one guy and just placed it, instead of worrying about power.”
Souhegan was finally able to get some pressure of its own on HB late in the game, as Cavs goalie Linds Cadwell made most of his five saves.
“The way it has to happen is with possession of the ball,” Saxe said. “Rushed play, where we were lofting the ball into the box in the final 10 minutes, we need to be more organized than that.”
Both teams return to the field on Tuesday, as HB plays at Milford and Souhegan plays at Windham.
