Late Goal Lifts Wahconah over Taconic

DALTON, Mass. – Eli Yetman put back a rebound in the 72nd minute to snap a scoreless tie and send the Wahconah boys soccer team on to a 1-0 win over Taconic on Thursday night.

 

Yetman followed a shot by teammate Alex Roots that was stopped by Thunder keeper William Barber (nine saves) and ripped a shot from the top of the 18 that found the back of the net and ended a run of offensive frustration for Wahconah.

 

Wahconah (3-2-1) held the positional advantage most of the night and outshot the Thunder by a margin of 10-6 in shots on goal – an even wider margin when overall shots were taken into account.

 

But continuing a trend of two goals in their last two games, the hosts found themselves stalemated and looking at the possibility of their second tie this season before Yetman found the back of the net for the third time this season.

 

“We’re alright,” Wahconah coach Kyle Lyman said. “We’re fine. We just can’t finish our chances. But that’s gonna come as time goes by, hopefully, and we’ll be OK.

 

“We just kept searching [for offense]. I think we’re gonna have to get there. We’re going to have to figure out who that actually is. It could be multiple different guys, but I think it’s just getting hungry and getting on the end of it.”

 

Taconic (3-3-1), which came in having lost two straight, generated some good chances early against Wahconah keeper Joey Fontaine, who finished with six saves in preserving the clean sheet.

 

But there was more action at the other end, especially in the latter stages of the half, when Yetman was just wide of the goal off a through ball in the 31st minute, and Barber stopped Alex Roots, who had a try off a pass from Nate Beatty, two minutes later.

 

Taconic’s defense was able to hold up to the pressure.

 

But a couple of minutes into the second half, the Thunder was dealt another blow when one of its starting backs took a red card, forcing Taconic to play short-handed the rest of the way.

 

“That was our central defender that got booted from the game,” Taconic coach Jason Keller said. “Then we were just sort of stuck in scrap mode. We already had a few players that were injured who weren’t here today, some of my starters. So I was already a little skeptical.

 

“But I was proud of my bench. We went deep into the bench today. Kids who hadn’t had much playing time played almost half the game, if not more, and I was impressed.”

 

As the game wore on, playing 10-on-11 took its toll on Taconic, which went from four shots on goal in the first half to just two in the final 40 minutes.

 

Its best opportunity came with the match still scoreless midway through the second half. Seffatullah Mangal had a try from about 25 yards that forced Fontaine to make a leaping save.

 

Keller took a time out moments later to give his players a break.

 

But the game’s biggest break came 10 minutes later when Yetman hung the night’s first goal on the scoreboard.

 

“He wants it,” Lyman said of the sophomore forward. “So it’s just about being in the right places a little bit for us and making the right runs. We can’t just always go for the ball. I think guys think that getting hungry means always going for the ball.

 

“But it’s just about making the right run, and we’re learning.”

 

After his team won for the third time in four games to go over the .500 mark for the first time this season, Lyman indicated it’s a learning process for Wahconah.

 

“We’re only a third of the way in [to the season],” he said. “Our defense has been really good. Our goalies have worked well this year. So, really, if our weakest part right now is scoring goals, I’m fine with that. That’s something we can work on every day.”

 

Keller also was pleased with what he saw from the Thunder as it creeps up on the midway point of the regular season.

 

“What makes me feel happy every night is if they show class, hang together,” he said. “So, to face adversity and get a red card and play a team that’s extremely physical – I thought I we kept our composure and didn’t get any more cards. I was proud of them for keeping their heads up.”

 

Taconic Saturday morning goes to Bennington, Vt., to face Mount Anthony Union. Wahconah has a quick turnaround to host Chicopee Comprehensive on Friday.

 

Photos from this game to come.