Rams blanked by Greenwich
Sparked by the sophomores.
That was the scenario for the Greenwich boys soccer team, which saw three of its sophomores account for five goals in its matchup against New Canaan Monday at Cardinal Stadium.
Sophomore forward Isaac Dumeny led the charge, recording a hat trick for the Cardinals, who used a four-goal second half to register an impressive 5-0 victory against the Rams.
Dumeny tallied three times in the second half for Greenwich, which broke the FCIAC game open by scoring three goals during an eight-minute span late in the second half.
“It was exciting to do that, especially it being the second varsity game for me,” Dumeny said.
Forward Joao Lima, a sophomore and Jake HughJones, also a sophomore added one goal apiece for Greenwich, which posted its second consecutive shutout.
Greenwich upped its pressure right from the start of the second half and as a result, generated chances. The Cardinals outshot New Canaan, 16-4.
“We started off really well with a quick goal in the first half, but we weren’t connecting after that,” GHS coach Kurt Putnam said. “At halftime, we talked about being a little more potent up front and connecting more with each other.”
Rams sophomore goalie Alex Wolter helped keep his squad in the game, making numerous saves during the first half and a good portion of the second half. Yet crisp passing and relentless pres
sure enabled the Cardinals to soar in the second half.
“I thought we came in with a game plan and we worked as well as we could in the first half to execute it and limit their chances,” said Rams coach Luke Green, who credited freshmen Jake Bausman and Lorenzo Marsill for their defensive effort. “The second half, maybe we got a little tired and they have some good players out there. They settled into their game a little bit more.”
Lima, who had a goal in Greenwich’s season-opening win against Ridgefield, put the Cards ahead 1-0, when he tallied off a penalty kick in the fifth minute. He deposited his penalty shot inside the left post, past a diving Wolter.
Greenwich had several chances to extend its advantage, but Wolter kept it a 1-0 lead. In the second half, GHS quickly built its edge. Dumeny tallied in the 41st minute, showcasing his skills to make it a 2-0 game.
“I got the ball and tried to push it up, but a defender was blocking me,” Dumeny said. “I tried to get around him and the ball ended up on my right foot, so I figured I might as well swing at it and it went in.”
Dumeny’s second goal ocurred after he received a pass from senior captain Davi Pedreiro. He tallied again in the 64th minute, completing his hat trick and giving GHS a commanding 4-0 lead.
Receiving a through ball, Hugh-Jones converted a shot from 25 yards out, sealing the game’s scoring. Senior captain Padraig Colligan earned his second clean sheet, stopping four shots.
“I think it’s great that we haven’t let up a goal through two games,” Colligan said. “There’s 10 players in front of me, so it’s up to them to press the ball and stay organized. Finn Stewart (senior) did a great job at stopper. We also did a good job of keeping our shape and fluidity out there.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Dumeny was a force offensively for the Cards, giving them the energy they needed.
“He was the man of the match,” Putnam said of Dumeny. “Isaac has a knack for scoring goals, he seems to be in the right place at the right time and he’s very elusive and has a lot of quickness.”