Tuesday, November 5, 2013

BA vs. Phillips Exeter

The Bridgton Academy Wolverines took to the road for the last time in 2013 to face Class A rival Phillips Exeter Academy. The game started off as Coach Perron predicted, with Exeter booming balls long over the top and the BA boys trying to settle the game down and possess. For the first 20 minutes, BA would hold the majority of the possession even without two of their top players and Division 1 prospects Casey Hamill and Nicholas Kaiafas (Card infraction/Concussion respectively). The first two goals of the game would fall  to Exeter however, as their long ball tactic forced the BA backline into two mistakes. It was 2-0 Exeter within a span of 2 minutes and this is the way the half would end. BA would make a formation change for the Second and it worked well of the start only to see Exeter put away their third off a counter attack. 3-0 Exeter. It would have been easy for the boys to wilt away under these circumstances under the lights, in front of 500 raucous and unruly fans though the boys came back and fought harder. Brian Wheeler would put one goal away on a looping shot to draw the boys a bit closer, 3-1, his second of the campaign. Minutes later, former Hanover teammate Eric Miller Headed home the second goal off a longer service into the box. 3-2 was the scoreline with 10 minutes to go. BA put together at least 3 more quality chances as it seemed everything began to come together during that second half though the boys would come up just short. The score finished 3-2 in what would be another disappointing loss for the BA side.

Friday, November 1, 2013

BA vs. Hebron Academy

Wolverine soccer took to their shortest road trip of the season traveling just 40 minutes over to Class C power Hebron Academy. The game started out a bit frantic as both teams were trying to gain a foothold and figure each other out. After the first 5 minutes, Bridgton would eventually settle the play down and begin to control possession and move the ball around. Qais Sidiqi would open the scoring just 17 minutes in off a corner kick in which he bent a beautiful ball into the upper corner of the goal. 1-0 to the BA Wolverines. Despite the Wolverines holding much of the play, the scoreline would stay this way at halftime. The second half saw Hebron hold a lot more of the play as Bridgton came out sloppy in the first 10 minutes. They finally got it together and a nice combination play down the right flank between Sam Anderson, Dimitri Roumeliotis and Qais Sidiqi eventually led to a beautiful cross from Anderson to a waiting Brian Wheeler on the back post who volleyed the shot home for a 2-0 lead. Hebron would pull one back 10 minutes later but BA calmly responded after a nice ball from Andrew Gass found Connor Reagan open in space and he finished nicely to the lower corner. The score would finish 3-1 to BA.