Dexter Dreadnaughts Defeat Ypsilanti 9-1 in Hard Fought Match

By Alex Hardie

Despite an early lead by Ypsilanti on Tuesday, the Dexter varsity soccer team rallied to win 9-1 against the Phoenix.

Two minutes into the game, Dexter’s Jake Kilian received a caution for encroaching on the Ypsilanti free-kick, jumping up in the air towards the ball, blocking it.

Seven minutes later, Ypsilanti pushed forward, where a ball was played high near the Dexter right end-line. The Dreadnaught keeper Trenton Aeschliman guarded the ball but couldn’t get there before an Ypsilanti player shot it across the open goal mouth, connecting with a teammate for the 1-0 lead.

Finally, 14 minutes later, Nils Valdmanis received a ball from Cory Poirier and fired a 22-yard shot in for an equalizing goal. A minute and a half later, Max Amann served a ball in for Valdmanis to half volley into the net from just inside the 18-yard line. The Dreadnaughts third goal resulted from a play by Kilian to Bobby Toth, who pushed it in past the Ypsilanti keeper.

Kilian finished off the first half scoring when he received a pass from Valdmanis, for a 4-1 lead, to take into the half-time break.

Two minutes into the second half, Valdmanis took a nice pass from Kyle Kantola, flicked it over the defender, and volleyed it past the keeper.

David Innis capitalized on a pass played in by Joe Harro, with about 26 minutes left in the game, to make it 6-1. Andrew Foghel made it 7-1, when he took a pass from Tony Pisto’s back position to extend the lead.

Robert Pap picked up a ball that was poorly played out and scored his first for the game. Cory Poirier finished the scoring when he received a pass that set him up to score, to make it 9-1, thus invoking the mercy rule.

When asked about the game, Dexter Coach Scott Forrester said, “I have mixed feelings about this game, we scored in  a variety of ways. We still struggle to have that ‘killer’ mentality. With Saline this Thursday, we must have that mentality.”

Dexter is again honorable mention in the coaches poll and plays Saline at home on Thursday. This could determine the Dreadnaughts' aspirations in winning the division title.