Norton Boys Soccer Stays Undefeated

Norton boys soccer rolled over the Tri-Valley League leading and previously undefeated team from Holliston 5-2 yesterday.  Senior Kevin O'Leary scored a pair of second-half goals, junior Matt Bukowski netted his second goal of the match and sophomore striker Jonathan Lach set up a trio of goals as Norton upped their record to 4-0-2.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" asked Norton coach Eric Greene. "Last week we lost a two goal lead to Ashland and had to settle for a tie.  The encouraging thing was that what happened against Ashland, didn't happen against Holliston after they tied it 2-2 early in the second half. They learned from that match and responded."

Holliston netted the tying tally just 10 minutes into the second half after getting on the scoreboard in the 30th minute on a rebound.

O'Leary delivered the match-winning goal in the 68th minute and then regained a two-goal lead for Norton six minutes later, both situations being initiated by a throw-in by Cody Shannon. On the go-ahead goal, O'Leary re-directed the ball after Bukowski gave it a nudge in the penalty box area. On his second tally, he one-timed Shannon's toss.

Bukowski had put Norton into the lead in the eighth minute, settling a nice chip of a shot over the Panthers' goalkeeper. He netted his second goal late in the match, this time on a bending curveball of a shot.

Norton had seized a two-goal lead in the 20th minute on a nifty goal, Wayne Belcher taking a pass from Jonathan Lach and sliding atop the right corner of the penalty box area and funneling the ball to the far left corner of the Holliston net.

Norton (which scored six goals Friday in beating Millis) had ample opportunity to score four, five or six first-half goals with O'Leary (a direct kick at 40), Lach (a point-blank, one-timer at 38) and Bukowski (a blast off the right wing at 29) having stellar chances. The Lancers are at Westwood on Wednesday.