Ace's Soccer Season Ends in Souderton

It's often said that it's better to be lucky than good. After Saturday night, the Aces might be inclined to agree.

Lower Merion scored once on their own goal, had another goal disallowed, and failed to convert on many scoring chances in falling to Central Bucks East 2-0 in the PIAA AAA Boy's Soccer Quarterfinals.

It was a tough way to end a great season.

"We created, we had more shots on goal, more corner kicks, more throw ins, we just didn't execute," said Aces head coach Nico Severini after the game. "That's the way it goes sometimes though."

The first goal of the night, and first instance of Ace tough-luck, came at the nine-minute mark. Patriot Kenny Haug threw it in, placing it expertly in front of the net, where it bounced off the head of an Ace, past the usually stout goalkeeper Emmett McConnell, and into the back of the net – 1-0 Patriots.

The match's physicality ramped up from there. Lower Merion's Nate Deihl leveled Steve Fedele by the left corner flag of the Patriot goal when the two arrived simultaneously at a loose ball. At the 33-minute mark, Sean Jenkins of the Patriots pancaked Sasha Safavi. Neither was penalized.

Late in the first period, the Patriots nearly widened their lead when a side-kick was hung in front of the net. Kenny Haug raced for the header, but McConnell lunged into the frame and made a handsome save to hold his Aces' deficit at one.

The Aces nearly drew even on their next run down the pitch when Matt Lindheim, off a pass from Safavi, fired a dead-on center right in front of the net, but it was too hot for Matias Fernandez-Duque to handle and it rolled weakly to Patriot goalkeeper Shane Donovan.

Lower Merion, undeterred, appeared to tie it at the 47-minute mark when David Rosenfeld booted one past Donovan, but the goal was disallowed when an official ruled the keeper had been pushed.

Severini was incensed.

"Who saw that, was it you, was it you," he full-throatedly cross-examined the officials from the sidelines. No one had an answer for him.

And the Aces had no answers for the Patriots attack.

At the 55-minute mark, Lee Sandquist squeaked one by a diving McConnell and put East firmly in the driver seat.

Though East faced a barrage of Lower Merion scoring chances in the match's final 25 minutes –they had no fewer than five separate throw-ins and corner kicks in the second period, and a handful of good looks at the net– Donovan stoned them and the Patriots advanced.

"We created three or four point-blank challenges, and we couldn't get it in," sighed Severini as East fans rushed the field behind him.The disappointed first-year coach acknowledge that it was a great season, albeit one with an imperfect ending.

"I'm super proud of our guys. Nobody expected us to be here."

He took one last look at the mob on the field.

"Losing two and winning 19 is pretty awesome."