Rohlfs' Hat Trick Lifts Hurricanes at Drury

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Dylan Rohlfs’ hat-trick secured Hoosac Valley’s 4-2 win over Drury on Thursday.

 

It wasn’t the greatest start from the Hoosac Valley Hurricanes (4-0) as they looked to keep the unbeaten streak alive against their rivals, Drury. It was a bit sloppy, and it took the visitors 17 minutes to get their first real chance of the game from the foot of Rohlfs, who hit the crossbar.

 

Drury did a good job defensively and made things difficult for Hoosac to get anything going with possession. The first half was a bit of back-and-forth between the teams, both trying to settle into the game and take the game’s first chance.

 

In the 24th minute, Drury took advantage of that with some nice build-up play leading to a foul inside the box, giving Drury their first real chance to score. It was senior captain Rommel Alvarez who stepped up and calmly placed it below the keeper’s dive to give Drury a 1-0 lead with just 16 minutes left to play in the half.

 

Hoosac Valley used this goal as motivation to fight back in the game, leading to a great deal of pressure and shots on goal. Drury would look to hold on to their one-goal lead going into the half, but Hoosac Valley had other ideas, finally turning that pressure into a goal.

 

After a nice cross from Blaze Mazzeo that just went over the fingertips of Drury keeper Parker Rivard, Rohlfs was able to meet it with his head and level the scoring for the Hurricanes. It only took four more minutes for Hoosac to strike again and take the lead, this time from a nice Cason Bernier cross finished by Mazzeo, giving Hoosac the 2-1 lead and momentum going into the break. 

 

“The first half was okay,” Hoosac Valley coach Blair Mahar said. “We had a great talk trying to do more of the same with a little bit quicker passing. Less dribbling and just filling spaces quicker, and we started to see a lot prettier soccer in the second half, and we opened the game up.”

 

The halftime pep talk worked for Hoosac as it came out with even more fire, controlling the ball for most of the second half. The number of shots in the second half started growing; it was just a matter of time before they connected with one on target.

 

After sustained pressure, the Hurricanes found themselves on the right end of the penalty spot after being taken down just inside the box. Unfortunately, for the Hurricanes, they were unable to extend their lead as they sailed the shot over the net.

 

Drury did its best to hang around and finally got their chance in the 62nd minute when Jowell Vasquez, against the run of play, had a nice move down the sideline and cross to Izaiah Grandchamp, who neatly headed it in from six yards out to level the score at 2-2 with his first varsity goal.

 

Just like in the first half, Hoosac Valley was ready to respond and did so two minutes later when Rohlfs went on a nice solo run, giving him his second goal of the day. Just like the first half, Hoosac would build on that scoring momentum and rifle another one past the keeper just a minute after, giving them a 4-2 lead. 

 

“Dylan has a way of finding the goal for us even with the tightest angles,” Mahar said. “He had a hat-trick today and his first career header, but we really look to him for leadership when we need a couple of goals.”

 

Hoosac Valley never gave up, even after going down in the first half and allowing Drury to level it in the second, and they will look to build on this performance against Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School next Thursday. As for Drury, they will look to secure their first win of the season against Taconic on Monday.