The Griffins’ Haley O’Neill (right), a freshman out of Archbishop Ryan, fends off Post University’s Fenna Maarse, a sophomore from the Netherlands. (Photo by Tom Utescher)[/caption]

by Tom Utescher

In 200 minutes of competition on Victory Field, Chestnut Hill College’s two soccer teams were not able to score in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader last Saturday afternoon.

The outcome was better for the CHC women, who also shut out their visiting rivals from Post University in an overtime contest that ended 0-0. The male Griffins gave up a goal in the first half, but they were still only trailing by a single point in the middle of the second period. After that, though, the Post Eagles piled on three more goals to take a 4-0 victory back to Waterbury, Conn.

The Post men and women headed back north with CACC records of 3-2 and 2-3-1, respectively. The Chestnut Hill ladies stepped sideways to 1-4-1 in the conference and 2-6-1 overall, while the men slipped to 2-4 in the CACC and 3-7 against all opponents.

In the first half of the women’s game, both sides performed in a somewhat strange and sloppy manner; the entire enterprise seemed unfocused and disjointed. After the intermission, the activity on the field bore a much closer resemblance to collegiate soccer, but in the end, neither team was able to direct the ball into the other’s goalcage.

Post was the early aggressor in the second period, then Chestnut Hill began to generate some offense. Midway through the half junior Genna DiRugeris drove a long free kick into the box, but the ball was grabbed out of the air by the lone Pennsylvanian in the Post pack, senior goalie Cheyenne Grim from Gettysburg.

Similar results followed CHC serves toward the Eagles’ nest by freshman Maddie Jimenez and senior Marikate O’Toole. Jimenez hails from Holland’s Villa Joseph Marie High School, which routinely dominates the league that includes Mount St. Joseph Academy.

Although the momentum switched back to the visitors for a spell as the second half began to wind down, one of the last viable runs in regulation play was made by CHC freshman Haley O’Neill. Grim ran out of the cage to try and grab the rolling ball and fell down, but an Eagle defender swooped in behind her to clear the ball away.

Post attacked steadily for much of the first 10-minute overtime period, and with under 30 seconds to go a Chestnut Hill corner kick did not lead to a shot on goal. Around halfway through the second OT, Post got off a promising shot at the Griffins’ cage while goalie Paris Banks was partially screened, but the CHC sophomore still came up with a save.

Liverpudlian Andrew Johnstone (right), a CHC sophomore, heads the ball toward the goal while being defended by Post University’s Phillimon Bedard-Khalid. (Photo by Tom Utescher)[/caption]

Banks would make a total of 17 saves for her shutout, and Grim recorded nine stops for Post, which outshot the home team, 33-20.

In the men’s match that followed, and apparent Post goal less than 90 seconds into the contest evaporated with an offsides call by the linesman. The Eagles registered a bona fide goal with 27:02 remaining in the first half, knocking the ball all around the box before Phillemon Bedard-Khalid punched it in.

For the most part, Post trusted its short-game passing skills and kept the ball on the carpet much of the match. CHC had several opportunities on aerial balls sent into the box. Andrew Johnstone, a 6’3” junior from Liverpool, got his head on a few of them a few yards outside the right post, but couldn’t nod the nugget into the net.

One of the Griffins’ best chances from the outside came on a long blast from near the left sideline by German junior Paris Bruhn – his ball gonged off the far goalpost and no one was in the right spot for a follow-up.

CHC remained one point behind up to halftime and beyond, then a red card penalty (dual yellows) with just over 19 minutes elapsed in the second stanza forced the hosts to play shorthanded the rest of the way. The Eagles would not waste this opportunity.

Less than four minutes after the ejection, Post made a pass inside from along the left endline and another one across the face of the goal. Junior Nicholas Osebio sealed off the play at the far post and put in the Eagles’ first insurance goal.

The other two goals were scored in a short span as the clock dropped from 15:09 to 12:47 remaining. Visitors Alvaro Sanchez and Mohammad Awadallah were credited with the third and fourth markers, respectively.

Chestnut Hill had a chance to break the shutout right up until the end of the match, with one corner kick from each side in the final 45 seconds. On the first one the ball was cleared away from the front of the goal and went over the endline off one of the Eagles. On the second attempt, one of the Griffins made contact with the ball inside, but deflected it well wide of the goalcage and out of bounds.