Back
Highlanders drop first on the road to Ridge
Robert Malcolm28 Apr 2019 - 22:54
Share via
CR 6 HSA 1
HSA 19U took a 1-0 road record to New Paris for a 12:00 game this Sunday afternoon. The Highlanders started the day in third place after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over West Branch far from home last Sunday. Chestnut Ridge sat in the cellar of the Mountain League after a 6-0 loss to league leader Altoona. HSA was forced to play a makeshift goal after Yousef Sbeitan’s collarbone injury in last weeks victory. Nate Beckman started the game in goal, saving a game high 10 shots, and going into the half down 2-1. Jason Grassa has the misfortune of playing the second half with a tired team in front of him. He still played well in goal, stopping seven shots himself.
The pair played on the defensive line when they were not in goal, along with Mikel Gray, who played rock solid on the wing, nearby winning Man of the Match. He had two goal line clearances and regularly dribbled past opposing forwards to move the ball out of our half. Mikel, Nate and Jason were joined by Johnny Smajda and Rigel Voelker, who did a valiant job of taking on the oncoming Ridge attack.
The shakeup due to injury forced Claire Telfer and Gage Hensel to share time at the defensive mid spot, a position both have just started learning. Gage also spent time at right forward, making several carving runs into the Lions defense, but along with fellow forward Alex Crespo was unable to get the amount of service needed to make a difference. Both forwards were active defensively as Ridge dominated possession from the 20th minute on.
Man of the match Reilly Malcolm and Josh Grassa formed a solid partnership of linkup play throughout the first half, but hit pay dirt on a through ball that Grassa buried for a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. “It was a fortunate ball, but a good finish.” Malcolm said, praising his teammate. Grassa said after the game, “It felt good to give the team the lead, but I should of scored more.” He leads the Highlanders with three goals this season. The tactic seemed to be ready to lead to a goal avalanche for the Highlanders, but shots went astray.
Ryan Jaber and Micah Jones made several substitute appearances in both halves to rest starters, but the wide field and short bench caught up with the team. Ridge went begging on several corners in the first half as our defense stood strong, but a through ball of their own in the 18’ equalized the game and a scramble goal off a set piece put the victors ahead for good going into the half.
The defense bent but did not break for the next 20 minutes of game play, until Ridge put the game away with goals in the 44’ and 49’. Malcolm drew a foul deep in Lions territory in the 54’, but the Highlanders came away from that free kick and an ensuing corner empty handed. He left the field injured in the 69’, but is expected back for next weeks home game.
A little defeated, and a lot tired, the Highlanders conceded twice more in the closing minutes of the game to set the margin. “No one wants punched in the mouth,” Coach Bear said, “but games like this tell you what you need to work on. We’ll learn from this. We’re here to grow.”
HSA hosts West Branch in a reverse fixture next week while Chestnut Ridge has a bye before that ring to Centre County.
The pair played on the defensive line when they were not in goal, along with Mikel Gray, who played rock solid on the wing, nearby winning Man of the Match. He had two goal line clearances and regularly dribbled past opposing forwards to move the ball out of our half. Mikel, Nate and Jason were joined by Johnny Smajda and Rigel Voelker, who did a valiant job of taking on the oncoming Ridge attack.
The shakeup due to injury forced Claire Telfer and Gage Hensel to share time at the defensive mid spot, a position both have just started learning. Gage also spent time at right forward, making several carving runs into the Lions defense, but along with fellow forward Alex Crespo was unable to get the amount of service needed to make a difference. Both forwards were active defensively as Ridge dominated possession from the 20th minute on.
Man of the match Reilly Malcolm and Josh Grassa formed a solid partnership of linkup play throughout the first half, but hit pay dirt on a through ball that Grassa buried for a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. “It was a fortunate ball, but a good finish.” Malcolm said, praising his teammate. Grassa said after the game, “It felt good to give the team the lead, but I should of scored more.” He leads the Highlanders with three goals this season. The tactic seemed to be ready to lead to a goal avalanche for the Highlanders, but shots went astray.
Ryan Jaber and Micah Jones made several substitute appearances in both halves to rest starters, but the wide field and short bench caught up with the team. Ridge went begging on several corners in the first half as our defense stood strong, but a through ball of their own in the 18’ equalized the game and a scramble goal off a set piece put the victors ahead for good going into the half.
The defense bent but did not break for the next 20 minutes of game play, until Ridge put the game away with goals in the 44’ and 49’. Malcolm drew a foul deep in Lions territory in the 54’, but the Highlanders came away from that free kick and an ensuing corner empty handed. He left the field injured in the 69’, but is expected back for next weeks home game.
A little defeated, and a lot tired, the Highlanders conceded twice more in the closing minutes of the game to set the margin. “No one wants punched in the mouth,” Coach Bear said, “but games like this tell you what you need to work on. We’ll learn from this. We’re here to grow.”
HSA hosts West Branch in a reverse fixture next week while Chestnut Ridge has a bye before that ring to Centre County.
Further reading