Spartans Secure 1-0 Win at Mount Greylock

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Mason Whiteman converted a penalty kick midway through the second half, and the Monument Mountain boys soccer team went on to a 1-0 win over Mount Greylock on Saturday afternoon.

 

The Spartans were awarded the PK after Ben Zdziarski was fouled on the left side of the 18 at the end of several minutes of the best sustained pressure recorded by either side in the battle of former Berkshire North rivals.

 

“We were pressing, their keeper made a couple of great saves, and if you keep applying the pressure and getting the crosses in, eventually you’ll get the right bounce or the right call and give yourself the opportunity to score,” Monument Mountain coach Matt Naventi said. “It wasn’t the prettiest one, but we found a way to get it done.”

 

The win snapped a two-game slide for the Spartans (2-2-1) and marked their second shutout of the season.

 

And it came on a day Monument Mountain was a little short-handed.

 

“We were down like five or six guys,” Naventi said. “We knew we were going to have to grind it out, and they did a good job of it. Some of the younger guys were put on the spot and started the game and got minutes that they’re not always getting, and I felt like they rose to the occasion and found a way to make it happen.”

 

Mount Greylock (2-3-1) also dealt with some injuries, scratching a starter during pregame.

 

But, all things considered, Mounties coach Chris Kapiloff sounded pleased with the effort he got from his side.

 

“This was one of the better games we’ve played this season,” Kapiloff said. “This is sort of a pre-test for what the Round of 32 or Round 16 looks like in the Massachusetts state tournament. So I’m always thankful for the opportunity to play a really well-coached team of great athletes. This is a game that we have to learn to win by the end of the season.

 

“The game came down to a [penalty kick], which is unfortunate, but these games make you stronger.”

 

Both sides had some strong chances in a first half that had few shots on goal but plenty of end-to-end action.

 

In the ninth minute, Mount Greylock’s Kieran Johnson made a steal in the midfield and a run up the right wing, firing a shot that was just wide of the far post. Six minutes later, Lukas Burrow took a shot from high on the left wing that went just past the far post.

 

At the other end, Aaron Castro had a try for the Spartans in the 26th minute that was blocked by Mount Greylock defender Nolan Stuebner.

 

In the final 10 minutes, Mount Greylock keeper Ward Bianchi (seven saves) made a stop on Castro and Ed Strolle blocked a shot by Whiteman.

 

“One of our starting center backs was a scratch in the pregame, which was a sort of tough way to start,” Kapiloff said. “But we have a good bunch of backs. They’re skilled. They’re big. They’re fast. We expect them to keep us in games through the season. Every great team has to have a good defense.”

 

In the second half, the good chances continued with Bianchi coming off his line to pick a free kick out of the air in the 46th minute and Mount Greylock’s Ian Haig getting a head on a cross in the 18 but sending the ball just over the crossbar in the 49th minute.

 

In the 59th minute, the Spartans forced Bianchi to make a diving save at the post for a corner kick.

 

And a few minutes later, Monument Mountain generated the pressure that led to the decisive PK.

 

The Spartans earned six of their eight shots on goal after the break, when Naventi made some changes that helped turn the tide.

 

“We changed our formation based off a few things we were seeing in the game,” he said. “Instead of playing with four guys across the back, we played with three and shifted one of the guys forward. So it opened up the game for us, and that’s what we really needed.”

 

Backup keeper Xavier Hernandez only needed to make a couple of saves to preserve the clean sheet, but one of the biggest came in the 66th minute when Mount Greylock’s Everett Bayliss sent a cross from the left wing for Asher Barrale, who headed a shot on goal that Hernandez was able to handle to keep the lead in tact.

 

Monument Mountain returns to Churchill Division play on Thursday at Agawam.

 

Mount Greylock will face Moriarty Division opponent Taconic on Tuesday on Valentine Road.

 

Photos from this game to come.