Saratoga clinches No. 1 seed
Blue Streaks rally form 3-0 down to tie
Down 3-0 after the first half, Saratoga Springs’ boys soccer team had to dig deep and fight back to clinch the No. 1 seed for playoffs, which they could get with a win or a tie.
The hosts managed to pull it off, scoring three goals in 15 minutes and kept Bethlehem from scoring in overtime to get the 3-3 tie.
Saratoga Springs assistant coach Jake Zanetti said it was a good way to end the regular season.
“That was huge to see in our last regular season game because sectionals is right around the corner and for our boys to show that they can come back from a three goal deficit was super impressive,” Zanetti said. “I am a firm believer in you can always come back and there is always a chance, but to do that in 15 minutes was super impressive. For them to not give up on themselves was very good to see as we roll into more difficult, more important, high priority games.”
Jack Soares scored all three goals for Bethlehem in the first half and it looked like Saratoga Springs couldn’t find a rhythm. Then the second half started. The Blue Streaks seem to come alive in the second half with Evan Farr placing two into the net and Simon Smith getting a goal of his own in 15 minutes of play.
Smith was fouled in the box and a penalty kick was awarded. Smith managed to fake out Bethlehem goalie Ryan Henning and made it 3-1.
Farr came next with his first goal of the game, getting it past Henning on a direct kick and his second goal of the game tied at it 3-3 with 20 minutes remaining in the match.
Farr said the team worked together to make this happen.
“It was definitely a team ef-
fort,” Farr said. “The two goals really helped. I think that we came together, we played some good combination balls and we really moved the ball around the field which gave some openings that allowed us to have more shots in goal in the second half. The big difference was we were able to capitalize on our chances.”
Both teams had opportunities to win the game, but couldn’t capitalize forcing the game into overtime.
Zanetti said the team just kept fighting.
“We played around with formations and we simply just dug deep,” Zanetti said. “We relied on our fitness; we relied on our tactical approach to play the type of soccer we have been practicing. We were able to go out and execute it, which was big for us today.”
In overtime, the Blue Streaks seemed to be in control because most of the play was in Bethlehem territory. However, they couldn’t get it past Henning. Bethlehem’s best opportunity was a direct kick on goal, but Saratoga goalkeeper Alex Henderson made a nice safe to keep it tied.
Saratoga had the ball with five minutes left with its best shot at a win. Bethlehem committed a foul allowing Farr to get a free kick. Farr kicked it into the box where it seemed to go into the net, but the play was called back for offsides.
Bethlehem managed to work the ball back down the field, but lost possession on a foul.
Saratoga moved the ball back up the field with 30 seconds remaining and managed to work the ball into Lorenzo Marcolin who took a shot with five seconds left, which would have counted if it went in, but it went wide. The contest ended 3-3.
Farr said that it was huge that his team managed to fight back.
“I think we started a little bit slow, but I think we came together as a team,” Farr said. “We got a plan, we upped the intensity and it definitely showed in the second half.”
Henderson made 12 saves for Saratoga and Henning made 17 saves for Bethlehem in the tie. Saratoga took 26 shots, with 14 of them being on target and Bethlehem took 11 shots with five on target.
With the tie the Blue Streaks, who finish with a record of 12-1-2, head into sectionals with the best record in Class AA and the No. 1 seed, which gives them home field advantage in the first round.
Zanetti said that whole getting the No. 1 seed is good, it is not the most important thing.
“It is big, it is fun, it is just a number though,” Zanetti said. “We have got tough opponents no matter what seed you are in. Anyone can win it from the one seed down to the eight seed, we know that. It is nice, it is fun to know we are the one seed and hopefully we can follow through on it and prove it true. We just need to take it one game at a time. We have at least three maybe four games to get to the ultimate goal, the Sectional Championship.”