By Rob Potter
GRAHAMSVILLE — September 14, 2007 — For much of Monday’s non-league soccer match, the visiting Fallsburg Comets and Tri-Valley Bears played in the T-V half of the field.
The Fallsburg offense repeatedly advanced the ball into the Bears’ end of the pitch. As a result, the Comets took a 3-0 lead in the first half.
Fallsburg (2-0) added a goal late in the second half to record a 4-0 victory.
Fallsburg outshot T-V (1-1) by a 26-7 margin.
Erik Santos put the Comets on the scoreboard at 5:18 of the opening half. He gained control of the ball, beat two Bear defenders in the goal box and then sent a low shot to the left of T-V goalie Nate Coelho. The ball sailed past a diving Coelho and into the back of the net.
Twelve minutes later, Fallsburg took a 2-0 advantage. Jesse Maldonado beat Coelho with a low shot to the corner of the net.
Bill Miller made it a 3-0 match midway through the half. From about 20 yards in front of the goal box, Miller sent the ball into the top corner of the goal cage.
Santos capped the scoring with his second goal of the afternoon at 31:51 of the second half. Santos sent a high shot towards the net. Coelho jumped up to block the shot, but the ball bounced off his hands and into the back of the net.
Coelho finished the match with 15 saves, while Fallsburg goalkeeper Colin Whitaker made seven saves.
“Our offense played very well today,” Fallsburg Coach Darren Kenney said. “We were able to control the ball well.”
Kenney noted it was nice to record another victory just a couple of days after a grueling 4-3 overtime win against S.S. Seward.
“Our defense has been outstanding so far this season,” Kenney commented. “We have been able to limit the other team’s shot opportunities.”
T-V Coach Becky Piechuta noted that the Comets played a terrific match.
“Their offense played great today,” she said. “They passed the ball well and took good shots.
“They just outplayed us and outmarked us,” Piechuta added. “We need to improve on marking the other players on the field.”