Rice scores twice for Blue Streaks
Saratoga Springs junior rallies team to 2-1 win over rival Shenendehowa
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Aidan Rice is has the talent to play several different positions for the Saratoga Springs varsity boy soccer team.
On Thursday, the junior put the Blue Streaks into the top position in the Suburban Council standings.
Rice tied the game midway through the second half, then had the match-winner with less than seven minutes remaining as Saratoga Springs rallied for a 2-1 victory over rival Shenendehowa.
The victory gave the No. 16 state-ranked Blue Streaks (11-11) inside track at the No. 1 seed for the Section II Class AA postseason. The No. 5 state-ranked Plainsmen (10-2-1) suffered just their second loss of the season.
Reggie Durden put visiting Shenendehowa up 1-0 off an assist from Aiden May early in the contest. Saratoga Springs picked up the intensity in the second half, however, and began to create more chances.
“We talked about working hard and winning those 5050 (balls) and playing simple,” Saratoga Springs head coach Jeff Geller said. “When we play simple and move the ball around we create chances. We were able to put them away today.”
Rice struck to tie the game in the 57th minute off a shot that hit both posts and crossed the line.
“It ended up at my feet and I was lucky enough to get the shot off,” Rice said. “I didn’t expect it to hit both posts and go in. What a feeling it was.”
The talented junior was in the right place at the right time again when a deflected pass ended up at his feet with just Plainsmen goalkeeper Greg Monroe to beat. Rice, enjoying his first full year as a varsity player, picked his spot as two defenders closed in to make it 2-1 with 6:32 left in regulation.
“My main focus was to put it on target,” Rice said. “I saw two defenders closing in on me fast. The atmosphere of this team is unbelievable. We stick together
and we work hard together. We win as a team and lose as a team.”
Saratoga Springs was upset a week ago at Albany, but has since bounced back with a 6-1 rout of Troy and Thursday’s rivalry win.
Monroe finished with eight saves for the visitors while Alex Henderson made eight saves for the Blue Streaks in a contest that showed why the two rivals still have the top records in the Suburban Council. The difference in the game wasn’t talent according to Geller.
“Both teams are technically and tactically very good,” Geller said. “It was going to come down to physical and psychological battles. Wanting to win. They had it the first half, the second half we turned it around.”
Bouncing back in games against Columbia and Bethlehem to get ready for sectionals is Shen’s main priority according to coach Jon Bain.
“They simply placed harder than we did,” Bain said. “We’ll go back to the drawing board and work on the things we need to work on. If we want to contend for a section title we have to play better than we did today.