Marauders Beat Stevens 3-0 in The Rain

 

The Marauders outshot Stevens 46-2 en route to a 3-0 victory at rain-drenched Merriman-Branch Field Tuesday night. Hanover, now 3-0 on the season, got goals from Dylan Kotlowitz, Henry Aspinwall and Eric Ringer, who has now scored in every Marauder game this season.  Sophomore Ty Nolon made a spectacular save on Brady Moote, his only one, to earn his first career shutout.  Stevens junior Cooper Moote was spectacular in goal, collecting 18 saves, many of them spectacular.  

The game began in steady rain, but both teams shrugged off the conditions and players disciplined soccer. Knowing that they were the underdog,  Stevens devoted nine players to defense, and it took patience and great positional play by the Marauders to unlock the Cardinals. With the middle of the field clogged by defenders, most of Hanover's offense was generated on the rinks.  Flank defenders Tucker Monson and Dylan Kotlowitz got forward intelligently, supporting the wing play of Eric Ringer and Jacob Kubik-Pauw.  Ringer got the first serious shot of the game at the 19 minute mark, ripping a low shot that was tipped past the left post by Moote.A minute later, Oscar Miller had a nice turnaround shot blocked by a defender. Henry Aspinwall came on at the 20 minute mark and quickly got into attack mode, flicking a shot just wide five minutes later, and a minute later having a strong shot blocked.

With less than 13 minutes to play in the half, Jacob Kubilk-Pauw beat his defender to the baseline and hit a hard centering pass across the face of the goal, where it was met at the far post by Kotlowitz for his first goal of the season.  Ringer got the critical sec and goal with less than five to play, cracking a shot from the right flank, well outside the penalty area, that clattered off the left upright and fell behind Moote. Hanover's shot advantage at halftime was 23-0.

The second half was a carbon copy of the first, minus the rain.  The Marauders set up shop in the Stevens end, and poured shots at the Cardinal goal.  Kubik-Pauw led the attack early, missing connection on some in-close headers.  Will Guerin forced Moote to make a good save on a low shot, and then Alex Stevens headed over the bar.  Jackson Lake had his best game as a Marauder, getting up for a header that didn't miss by much, and playing smooth soccer in the middle of the park. 

With 15 minutes to play, Stevens made its one and only foray into the Hanover end of the field, triggered by a free kick that was cleared out to the side.  That led to a long throw into the the attacking third, and the ball fell to Brady Moote, who hit a long shot that would have found the side netting inside the left post had Nolon not made a truly impressive dive to turn the ball wide.  It was a big-time save that truly earned the shutout, and it was the only look of the game by the Cards.

Six minutes later, Henry Aspinwall found the ball in the box, directed to him by Jackson Lake, and he ripped a shot post Moote, his second goal in the last two games.  He kept up the attack I the waning minutes of the game, just missing after a great run into the box, and then forcing Moote to come slithering out of the goal to save the bball at his feet.

It was a workmanlike performance for the Marauders, who maintained their shape despite substituting liberally and getting every one of the team's 24 field players into the match.  They will play a return match at Monadnock Park in the Claremont on Saturday.