Hargrave 4 – Chatham 1
Despite less than average field conditions and the absence of seven different Tiger players, those who remained for the away side played superbly, and came away with a 4-1 win over Chatham HS on Thursday.
The Tigers made their first half opportunities count, as the choppy field conditions made control, distribution, and a consistent passing game difficult, with a three goal output all coming from crossed balls sent into the Chatham box. Sophomore forward Dong Myung Eun scored the most noteable of the three goals for the Tigers 23 minutes into the contest as he headed a perfectly placed shot away from the keeper from a Adam Crook cross sent from deep on the right flank. The Crook cross found Eun around the penalty marker for the header into the corner netting and the 1-0 advantage. Right wing Austin Koeneman, also credited with an assist on the Eun goal, would record his second assist on the evening as he set-up the Tiger’s second nine minutes later. The Koeneman assist came from a well-taken corner to find fellow left-winger Tony Cain on the back post for the header and the 2-0 lead. Two minutes later Cain would follow-up with an assist of his own from yet another corner that found junior captain Scott Dinius just inside the penalty area. Dinius was able to collect the Cain cross and send in a well hit shot low and into the back of the net to give the Tigers the 3-0 halftime lead.
During the second half of play Chatham was able to get one back on the Tigers from a Shane Terry free-kick that hit off the post, yet was able to find the mark to make it a 3-1 game with 21 minutes to play. Although, a Edwin Choi goal with nine minutes remaining from yet another Cain assist would seal away the 4-1 win for the Tigers. The Choi goal came from a Cain through-ball in behind the Chatham defense where Choi ran on, and hit a low, well-placed shot past the keeper into the corner netting.
The Tiger defensive effort once again played superbly lead by sweeper Austin Hirschfield, and senior captain Nate Anglin in his first significant game back, from an early season ankle injury, where he saw 75 minutes of play. Hirschfield, Anglin, and fellow defenders Adam Crook and Andrew Shin held their opponent to only seven shots, four on goal, once again holding their opponent to under 10 overall shots; a feat in which the Tiger defense has achieved in every game this season. Back-up goalkeeper Woo Jin once again filled in nicely for the absent Nathan Bloom and finished the evening with three saves.
