Abel Converts Two PKs in Taconic Boys' Win
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Penalty kicks don't come all too often in a high school soccer game, but Wednesday afternoon the Taconic boys soccer team was handed three of them.
It put two in the net on its way to its first win of the year, 4-0 over Commerce.
The first PK came with 10 minutes gone in the first half; a Commerce defender slide tackled a Taconic attacker from behind resulting in a red card.
Ryan Abel set up for the shot, sending it to the high right corner of the net and putting the Braves ahead, 1-0.
With 20 minutes to go in the first half, Taconic set up for a corner kick, taken by Nick Donahue. Donahue sent the ball into the 18 in front of the net where Prosper Boua connected with it and scored making it 2-0.
Taconic did a great job of pressuring the net Wednesday afternoon; its defensive line fed the ball to the midfield who was then finding open feet up the line.
"They came out with energy, but they attacked the net and it worked out for us," Taconic coach Tim Smith said. "We kept the defense pushed up and we wanted to turn the back over using our midfield; our midfield played very strong."
With less than 10 remaining in the first half, Jason Peprah from the defensive line found Luis Rodriguez on the right wing. He beat Commerce's last defender and sent the ball to the far corner to take a 3-0 lead at half-time.
Going into the second half, Taconic already tallied two penalty kicks, both resulting in red cards for a Commerce player and their head coach. Midway through the second half, after Abel stepped up the the PK line and capitalized again to make it 4-0 the Commerce coach received another card, resulting in the end of the game.
Taconic took away their first victory of the season putting them 1-1; they now host Hoosac Valley Friday afternoon.