Hackettstown lightning vs rockaway rascals september 16, 2006

HACKETTSTOWN LIGHTNING VS ROCKAWAY RASCALS

SEPTEMBER 16, 2006

RESULTS: HACKETTSTOWN 3 ROCKAWAY 1

MVP: Defense – Magdaleno, Nicotra, Philipsen, and Napolitano

SUMMARY: The Hackettstown Lightning won their second game of the season with another convincing win against the Rockaway Rascals beating them, 3-1. There was some concern by the Hackettstown coaches at game time being that four of their players would be absent from the match and Rockaway had five substitutes. The day’s temperature was slightly warmer then usual and this could pose an issue later in the game. It was Rockaway that scored first on a corner kick that bounced around the front of Hackettstown’s goal and was finally put in the net in the 6^th minute. Twenty minutes into the match, it started to become noticeable that all the conditioning and hard work that the Hackettstown players had done over the summer was starting to pay off as Hackettstown started applying more and more pressure to Rockaway’s defense. In the 37^th minute Justin Knight raced past their defenders and shot on the goal only to have the ball bounce off the top of the goal post back onto the field (is their a pattern here?) and Erik Carlson was in the right place to finish it off and shot the ball into the net. Hackettstown offense continued attacking but the Rockaway’s Goalie made many great saves to end the half in a 1-1 tie.

During half time, the Hackettstown coaches talked to the players on some strategy that had some of the players switch the side of the field they were playing on due to way Rockaway was defending using a man to man coverage. Hackettstown took the field with confidence and continued to out play Rockaway for the rest of the game. Hackettstown scored in the 71^st minute on a great throw in by CJ. Arteglier, to Ryan Pezzato, who raced past their defenders and fired the ball into the goal. ”Pezz” scored again in the 79^th minute after receiving a perfect crossing pass from Victor Magdaleno to seal the win.

The Hackettstown defense, made up by Victor Magdaleno, Ryan Nicotora, Cameron Philipsen and Robert Napolitano completely shut down Rockaway offense in the second half. Goalie, Matty Reynolds only had 3 weak shots on goal to easily deal with.
The Lightning take on the Pompton Lakes/Riverdale Rockets on Sept 24^th at home at 1:00 pm.
Goals for the Season:
Matty Reynolds 1

Nathan Piserchia 1

Ryan Pezatto 4

Erik Carlson 1