PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The St. Joseph boys soccer team cashed in on two first half scoring chances and held off a strong McCann Tech attack in the second half to earn a 2-1 win on Wednesday at Clapp Park.
Mike Peplowski and Jose Mejia each scored and Joey Maynard made six saves as the Crusaders (3-1-1) were outshot 5-1 in a scoreless second half.
"That's what we've been working on since the beginning of preseason," St. Joe coach Juan Ramos said of his team's defense. "That's what my philosophy is: First we don't lose, and then we try to win."
McCann continued a season-long frustration in finding the back of the net. The Hornets (1-3-1) have scored just three goals in five games this fall.
"I would guess we had five open chances where we just missed the net," McCann coach Tom Bona said. "Hit it over a couple of times, missed it wide.
"I do have a young team offensively up front, and I have new people up there. But they've got to do better."
Shots don't come much better than the goal St. Joe senior Peplowski made to open the scoring.
In the 14th minute, he teed up a free kick about 25 yards from the goal on the left wing and drilled a shot over the outstretched arms of McCann keeper Evan Canales.
"That was a major league free kick right there," Ramos said.
In the 31st minute, McCann got the equalizer off the toe of Ryan Charon. He laced a beauty from far out on the left wing that found the top corner of the goal on the far post to make it 1-1.
But St. Joe regained the lead just before half-time when Mejia took advantage of a giveaway in McCann's defensive third and ripped a low shot that found the mark and have the Crusaders a 2-1 advantage.
During the break, Bona challenged his team.
"I just said, 'How bad do you want this? Do you want this win or what?" Bona said. "They definitely played better and took the game over."
Both coaches agreed that McCann's depth was a factor in turning the tide toward the Hornets.
"We definitely were at the beginning subbing, even in the first half, hoping to tire them out," Bona said. "It did work somewhat. I was able to get 18 or 20 guys in. They had probably one or two subs coming in off the bench, and it showed at the end."
McCann hosts Commerce on Friday, while St. Joe travels to Drury.
