Westwood Boys' Soccer Start Season with Solid Win

Every season brings a new team, but with a first-year coach everyone has to make adjustments in a short period of time.

The Westwood boys' soccer team and coach Jon Grant got off to a good start Tuesday beating Bellingham 5-1 in a Tri-Valley League game under the lights at Flahive Field.

"They played good for the first time playing together," said Grant. "They made some good adjustments coming off our three scrimmages. The one thing they need to do is hustle more."

Westwood's passing and defense made the difference in the game, as they dominated the midfield and created a number of chances with good offensive play-making.

"One of the things we've been working on is moving off the ball and creating our own passing lanes," said Grant. "They are adjusting very well to anything that I throw at them, which is really good to see."

Senior Nasuf Dizdari was able to find those passing lanes early in the game, as he volleyed in a great cross from Cory Krakowsky, then received a great feed from Shane Maher to send him in alone to score his second goal of the half.

Despite having the edge in possession and chances, the Wolverines lost some of their intensity and let Bellingham back in the game with a goal halfway through the first. The slim 2-1 halftime lead seemed to motivate the home team to step up their game in the second half.

"In the first half there was a big let down, not a lot of energy, but we came out with a lot of energy in the second half," said Grant. "They're starting to understand the type of energy you need to play with, that full 80 minutes." 

In the first minute of play senior captain Malek Sayegh's low hard shot found the far corner to put his team up 3-1. The Wolverines continued to capitalize on the Blackhawks' disorganized defense as Sayegh and fellow senior captain Jake Drew put in rebounds after great passing plays set up a flurry of chances at the Bellingham net.  

"Offensively we had some good distribution from Jake Drew, and good goals from N.D. (Nasuf Dizdari) and Malek Sayegh," said Grant.

Those passing plays were made possible by Westwood's strong defensive play and control of the midfield throughout the game. Drew, Sebastian Lis and Jonathan Harper all did well to keep Bellingham from setting up any offense, and the defense stifled the few breaks their opponents got. 

"In the back we had a solid group with Myles McDonough, Shane Troy and Joe Williams," said Grant. "They didn't allow too many shots in the second half."

Both the team and coach passed this first test, but understand there is a long season ahead and plenty of room for improvement.

"We still have a long way to go, but they played well," said Grant. "We just want to keep getting better and never be satisfied." 

The team returns to action Friday when it hosts Holliston.