St. Joseph by-the-Sea’s dogged pursuit a difference-maker in 4-1 boys’ soccer win over St. Peter’s - SILive.com

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Time and again, St. Joseph by-the-Sea’s persistence on the attack proved fruitful.

And, if fact, in proved to be a difference-maker on each of the Vikings' four goals on Monday evening.

Sea scored two of its three second-half goals within an 11-minute span as it rolled to a 4-1 CHSAA A division victory over visiting St. Peter’s in Huguenot.

Derek Espejo scored a pair of goals for the Vikings, who not only avenged a 3-2 loss to the Eagles (2-6) earlier this season, but earned their first victory to improved to 1-4-1 in league play.

"The one constant from the this team from the beginning of the season has been their attitude and effort — they don’t give up, but unfortunately didn’t have anything to show for it,'' said Sea coach Sandy Rapaglia. "The difference between our first game (of the season) and now is like night and day. We have improved and it’s always a big game when we play St. Peter’s.

"It’s nice to see all the kids' hard work get some results.''

With the score tied 1-1 midway through the second half, the Vikings took the lead for good after Jian Castillo took advantage of a SP miscommunication in the back, pounced on a loose ball and knocked it into the wide-open net at the 54-minute mark.

"I knew I could beat the defender on that play and when the goalie came out, I knew I just had to get it past him,'' said Castillo, a senior. "We’re always told to give 110 percent and I just stayed with the play. Luckily, something came out of it.''

"We’ve missed so many opportunities in our previous three games, so it was nice to see something go our way,'' added Rapaglia, whose team outshot the Eagles 18-9, including 11-4 in the second half. "(Castillo) didn’t give up on that play. He pressed and didn’t make it easy for them to clear it and was able to take advantage of a mistake.''

Just 11 minutes later, Espejo knocked home a rebound off a shot from Sea frosh Jonathan Williams to make it 3-1, then capped the scoring with five minutes to go when he again tallied in close.

St. Peter's Derek Inserra, left, and St. Joseph by-the-Sea's Rory Lilley converge on a 50-50 ball during a CHSAA A division game on Oct. 26, 2020. (Courtesy of Annie De Biase)

The Vikings opened the scoring in the closing minutes of the first half when Rory Lilley blocked a clear attempt, then chased down the ball as it sailed back over the defender’s head. Lilley went in alone on SP netminder Sulajman Taipovic (nine saves) and when the keeper left the net to challenge, he chipped a shot in to make it 1-0.

The Eagles knotted the score at 1-1 in the opening minutes of the second half when Matt Riccardi’s free kick from midfield was inadvertently headed in by a Sea defender.

But Sea’s defense, led by Nicholas Dimonda, Massimo Giunta, Anthony Taravella and Ryan Gilbert, played as a cohesive unit in front of netminder Montana Anthony (two saves) throughout the contest as they limited the Eagles to four second-half shots.

Stephen Haney and Francesco Messina played solid defensively for SP.

The Link Lonk


October 27, 2020 at 10:08AM
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St. Joseph by-the-Sea’s dogged pursuit a difference-maker in 4-1 boys’ soccer win over St. Peter’s - SILive.com

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