Boys Soccer Tie Sachem East 1-1

The Patchogue-Medford boys varsity soccer team tied 1-1 at Sachem East High School Tuesday, setting them up for a must-win situation when they play Brentwood on Thursday. A win over Brentwood (10-1-2) would qualify the Raiders for the playoffs.

However, the Raiders were almost shutout. With less than five minutes remaining in the first half, Sachem East (5-6-2) was awarded a penalty kick. Junior forward Demetrios Tsiokos took the penalty shot, deked Raiders keeper Keith Orlando into diving to his left and kicked to his right to put East up 1-0.

The Raiders needed to earn at least a draw in the game to keep their playoff hopes alive, and in the second half, Brian Cioffi made it possible as he passed the ball in and out and weaved through defenders before beating East's keeper Matt Bonomini to even the game at one.

"It was huge," Raiders head coach Steve Vesey said. "It was a great effort tonight to be down a goal at the half fighting into the wind to get that equalizer. We played very well tonight."

The Raiders had to fight through two ten-minute overtime periods and countless opportunities by East as Orlando had 12 saves in the game on 13 opportunities while Bonomini had five on just six chances.

"We had some good chances tonight and I'm very proud of how we played and by tying tonight it makes Thursday important," Vesey said. "That game will be a lot of fun."

On Thursday, the Raiders will return home to take on Brentwood and will need a win in order to clinch a spot in the League I playoffs.

"We need a similar type of effort Thursday," Vesey said. "We're going to have to play very well to stay in that ballgame. I'm sure we'll work very hard this week we'll just have to wait and see what happens."