IAC BOYS SOCCER: SHORT-HANDED SVEC DOWNS NEWFIELD, 3-1 (2021-10-07)

BY TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
CANDOR — With seven players missing from its roster amid COVID protocols, SVEC had no substitutes available for Thursday's game against Newfield here.

However, those 11 players which were available kept the intensity level high in an effort to make Senior Recognition Night successful. The Eagles would build a 3-goal advantage to defeat the Trojans, 3-1.

SVEC co-coach Jason Banks felt the team needed to take it down just a notch at the onset.

"The boys came ready to play, a little too jacked up in the beginning, but once they calmed down, they played really hard. They did good," he said.

The Eagles would settle in and after about 12 minutes would go ahead, 1-0, on Jacob Banks' ground ball into the left side of the net with 28:11 on the clock. Jayden Grube, one of the seven seniors being honored, earned the assist.

SVEC would control the majority of the possession for the remainder of the half, but was unable to build on its lead.

Newfield came out in the second half and put some early pressure on the Eagles in the first 10 minutes of the period, but the defense stood strong and senior goalkeeper Aidan Swayze came up with a couple of key saves.

Coach Banks said the Eagles came out fired up and ready to go in the second half, just like they did in the first, until they "calmed down on the ball."

"Newfield was just right in our face," he said. "They did a great job doing that, putting pressure on us. I think that made a big difference."

SVEC would eventually sway momentum and possession back in its own favor and, with 24:54 remaining to play, Addison Young scored the first of his two goals.

He took a pass from Jacob Banks and his shot barely glanced off the inside of the right upright and ended up in the back left corner fo the net for a 2-0 advantage.

About four minutes later, Young and Banks hooked up again and even though Newfield keeper Michael Doner was able to get a touch on the ball, SVEC was able to make it a 3-0 contest at 20:44.

"We still look to use the outside-in a little bit more, but other than that, I think their passing was very good," coach Banks said. "That will stop you at times, but there's always things we can improve on."

The Trojans would avoid a shutout with 6:20 to go on Zachary Taylor's goal.

SVEC took 16 shots on goal while Newfield had five. The Eagles held a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Swayze made two saves for the Eagles, who improved to 8-3 overall, and Doner had seven for the Trojans, who slipped to 7-3.

Coach Banks and co-coach Gary Holmes realize the importance of playing quality competitions as the postseason creeps nearer and nearer.

"It's everything, because we're not going to see the teams that don't give us a challenge in sectionals, so we have to get ready, we have to be ready to gut out those 2-1 wins and 3-1 wins or close games, so it's really important."

SVEC has two regular season games remaining, both IAC South Large School contests — Monday at Newark Valley and Tuesday at Watkins Glen.

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IN PHOTO 1: SVEC'S Matthew Binkovski (17). ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.