Bouncing quickly back from a Wednesday loss to Fairfield Prep, the Hamden varsity boys’ soccer team advanced their season record to 6-1 with a decisive win over Notre Dame at West Haven’s Veterans Stadium.
Despite Notre Dame’s characteristic hustle, Hamden’s ball skills and teamsmanship coalesced early and improved steadily through the first half. The first goal came in the 34th minute when Hamden’s pressure forced a corner on Notre Dame’s end line.
Tall backfielders Bobby Foster and Noah Leone came forward to take offensive positions in the box. Alex Zapata’s high arcing hook came from the south corner to the far post as Foster vaulted above the crowd, timing a perfect header into the upper right net.
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Notre Dame retaliated two minutes later with an aggressive advance. Gutsy Hamden goalkeeper Adam Miedzinski rushed out and stopped the shot, incurring a blow to the head that stopped the game for several minutes.
In the second half, with Miedzinski back in action, Hamden continued the trajectory already plotted. Within eight minutes, Hamden’s Zapata on a through pass evaded four Notre dame defenders to score goal number two, his eleventh of the season.
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“Notre Dame fought a good battle in the middle of the field”, said Hamden tri-captain Noah Leone, “but weren’t as effective in the final third (front line) of the field.”
In the 27th minute, Zapata was tripped by Notre Dame defenders just outside the eighteen for a direct kick. Quickly forming a four-man wall, the Notre Dame defense proved defenseless against Zapata’s free kick, which rocketed over their heads, diving into the net like a 12-to-6 curveball to expand Hamden’s lead to 3-0.
Hamden’s record stands at 6-1. They will meet Foran High school in Milford on Tuesday, Oct. 4th at 7 p.m.
