Hawks, Warriors fight to 2-2 tie

The boys’ varsity soccer team kicked off their season on a warm Thursday afternoon and fought their way to a 2-2 tie with the Tantasqua Warriors. Both teams played a physical and emotional game, while battling the heat and the sun, but in the end, neither team could outlast the other after 80 minutes of play.

“We knew it was going to be an emotional game because we played a tough game with them last year and we knew that we were coming into their home field,” said Tantasqua head coach Keith Ventimiglia. “I give credit to both teams. These are very miserable and difficult conditions. If you stand here and look into the sun as a sweeper or a keeper it’s very difficult to see and both sides played well. Milford is a great team and we knew what we were getting into and I think it could have gone either way.”

Tantasqua junior CJ Mattioli had a goal and an assist on the afternoon, while sophomore Liam Seguin added a score of his own. Milford goals were scored by sophomore Matthews Oliveira and senior captain Gustavo Rocha. Senior forward Will Marcal also added an assist. The goaltenders from both sides — senior Kevin O’Loughlin of Milford and junior Jacob Nichols of Tantasqua — played a phenomenal game, stopping 11 shots apiece, including some key saves on possible go-ahead goal opportunities.

In the fifteenth minute of the second half, Milford caught a huge break, as sophomore Lucas Fernandes made a move toward the goal and was pushed over, drawing a penalty shot. Rocha was elected by Hawks to take the shot and he didn’t miss, sending a bullet off his foot into the left corner of the net, giving Milford a 2-1 advantage.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, that goal wouldn’t stand up very long, as the Warriors bounced right back with a goal by Seguin just over a minute later. Mattioli picked up the assist on the game-tying goal.

“You get that lead and it’s an emotional high and then you have the low right after that,” Asam said. “But that’s how the game is. It seems to happen to us more often than not, but that’s just a stepping stone for these guys.”

The Warriors got things started early in the first as Mattioli put one past O’Loughlin just over three minutes into the game to put Tantasqua up 1-0. It would take Milford almost 32 minutes until they answered back, scoring a goal off a corner kick thanks to Marcal who headed the ball to the opposite side of the net where Oliveira headed it in for the first Milford goal of the season.

“We’ve been working on the attack and having the midfielders follow,” Asam said. “Matthews [Oliveira] did that by following right to the post and that’s where the ball went and he was there [for the goal].”

Despite the tie, the game could have been a win for either team. Milford had some great scoring opportunities early and none bigger than in the first few minutes of the first half when sophomore Bryan Rodrigues got the ball to Marcal with just the goalie to beat, but he missed just wide right of the net. Tantasqua also had their chances as well, and could have possibly gone up 2-1 before the penalty kick by Rocha, if junior Myles Gaudet’s shot off a corner kick didn’t go high off the crossbar.

“We had six shots in the first and only four or five in the second and it was pretty even in the second more so than the first,” Asam said. “We have to capitalize on those first opportunities.”

Ventimiglia agreed that the opportunities to score and go ahead in the game were there. “I think it could have gone either way, we clinked one off the post and we had some opportunities and they had some opportunities, but I give credit to both teams to playing an emotional game and doing the best that they can to keep it under control,” he said.

Throughout the game it looked as though Milford was going to pull away due to their pace, taking advantage of their speed, ability and experience of playing on a bigger field by out-hustling the Warriors at times. However, Tantasqua found a way to slow the pace of the game by controlling the possession and holding off Milford’s attack. “It happens on this field. It’s a big field, but our guys are used to it,” Asam said. “It is early in the season and I knew if we kept on them we were going to make them tired. They were trying to slow it down and we were trying to keep it going fast.”

Though this is only their first game, the Hawks, just like any other team, have some aspects of the game to work on. “I think a lot of guys were a little bit tired and they have to learn their positions more and what they are doing at certain times,” Asam said. “We are wasting energy running back and forth if you really don’t need to, if the ball is in your area. But I think they’ll take a lot from this game and hopefully we can come out stronger next week.”

The Hawks look to continue their fast-paced game play at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, as they square off on the road against North Middlesex Regional High School.