JV2 Adapts, Rallies to Beat Hartford, 4-2

 

It was well understood by the Hanover Boys JV2 squad that their match with Hartford's JV team wouldn't be a "Newport Round 2" and the Hartford boys proved their worth Monday evening with a strong first-half performance against Hanover. 

Hanover started the match exactly where they left-off against Newport, with an endless stream of goal-scoring chances, however unlike their previous match, nothing was finding the back of the net. Augie Krawitt gave the Marauders their first 'close' look at goal with a free-kick from all of 35 yards out at the 15-minute mark. His strike cannoned off the underside of the bar and right into the path of Ayaan Ahmad who barely put his follow-up shot over the other side of the bar to keep the match scoreless. Will Taylor had the next few looks at goal, finding the Hartford keeper's arms with his first two strikes and, unfortunately, the left post with his third attempt. 

The mood the match quickly flipped after a dominant first twenty minutes from the Marauders. Two moments of lackadaisical defending from the team allowed Hartford to capitalize off their first two shots of the match. First, poor communication between four Marauders players allowed a talented #8 from Hartford to dribble his way into Hanover's box and fire a net-ripper into the top-right of the net past a helpless Christian Blix in net. 

Shortly after, a long punt from Hartford's keeper had Hanover defenders rushing towards their own goal, and another bit breakdown in communication left four Hanover defenders and one Hanover keeper looking back as Hartford slotted their second, in two minutes, into the back of an empty net.

The last fifteen minutes of the first half were all Hanover, though. Having been denied by the crossbar once, Augie Krawitt promised his coach he'd keep his next attempt lower for fear of losing his free-kick privileges. And, with ten minutes remaining in the first half, Krawitt put the ball down 25 yards from net for his 2nd set-piece, this time he sent a perfectly hit, curling effort past the keeper and into the top-left of the net to make the score 2-1. Hanover continued their momentum, and five minutes later Soren Stettenheim managed some space on the top of the box before blasting a strike through the hands of the Hartford keeper and into the net for 2-2, just before the half-time whistle.

The motif of this JV2 boys squad restarting matches on the front-foot continued with the start of the 2nd half. Stettenheim, Krawitt, Ayaan, Henry Werner (team freshman) and Alex Brackett all had attempts either go just wide or end up in the hands of the keeper. Much like the first half, it would take twenty or so minutes before either team broke the deadlock. Fortunately, this time it was Hanover. A well-rehearsed free-kick routine saw the ball launched into Hartford's box before several Hanover players had attempts thwarted before Alex Brackett had enough of the silliness and rammed the ball into the side-netting for Hanover's first lead of the match. It had been a hard, thankless hour of soccer for the Marauder Boys, but never did they stop, they kept working, defending and attacking as a whole unit to force themselves into a well-deserved lead after surrendering a 0-2 scoreline. 3-2 Marauders. 

The rest of the match was played primarily in Hanover's attacking third, more close chances kept the match a nail-biter, before finally, with the coolness of a battle-hardened senior, Henry Werner won the ball back from 35 yards out, accelerated straight through the heart of the Hartford defense, and drove the ball into the bottom-left of the next to give the Marauder's a two-goal cushion. Not long after, it was full time. Hanover 4, Hartford 2. 

Notable performances from all 15 of the JV2 Squad. Blix put in another really commanding performance between the sticks. Kevin, Jackson Liu, Jackson McBride, Wyatt, Finn Seville, and Tommy Mosdal all (aside from the two communication breakdowns) put into an impressive performance keeping Hartford's chances in-front of net to an absolute minimum. 

Stettenheim, Worden, Werner, Bracket, Simeon "Simmy"  Obomsawin did a fantastic job keepings legs fresh in the midfield and getting the ball, early and effectively, to the forwards and protecting their back-line by constantly winning balls in the midfield.

Ruslan, Taylor, Krawitt, Ahmad, and other "guest" forwards put in another dominant display, despite tired legs and a lack of subs going forward. Each player listed has plenty of goals in their respective lockers, it's now just a matter of them finding the right key to unlock them.