Boys Soccer Loses in Close Road Game

In their first game of the season, the boys soccer team was defeated, 1-0, on the road at Old Rochester Regional on Friday.

The Warriors came out running as senior Alex Branco took aim on the ORR goal in the first minute. The shot was turned away and the Bulldogs brought the ball upfield but junior keeper Tim Braunsdorf met the offense head on with a diving stop.

The Warriors had one of their best chances of the half at the 37-minute mark. Alex Branco guided a pass up the middle of the field to sophomore forward Aaron Branco. The younger Branco sent the ball left to junior striker James Eline. Shooting from the outside, Eline sent the ball just high and wide of the net.

A couple of minutes later, Eline took a tremendous shot from the left which just hit the left post. A handball in the box was called against the Bulldogs and junior Nick Smith lined up for the penalty kick. The blistering shot hit the crossbar and the Warriors were left with nothing to show for their efforts. The half ended scoreless.

The second half opened with both teams playing somewhat sloppily and unable to mount an offense. ORR looked to score at the 50-minute mark, but Braunsdorf made a leaping punch save going to his left.

The Bulldogs kept the pressure on the Warriors, and it paid off at the 62-minute mark. Senior defender Alex Milde was clearing a through ball inside his defensive end from about 50 yards out. The ball managed to arc over Braunsdorf's leaping reach, into the corner of the net for what would prove to be the only score of the afternoon.

Play got chippy as the game progressed, with a yellow card given to Bulldog Kevin Noone at the 65-minute mark in a dust up with Alex Branco. Branco iced his right knee on the bench for the rest of the game.

The last 10 minutes of the game were probably the most exciting as Seekonk kept the ball in front of the ORR net, pressuring junior keeper Mike Pruchnik. At one point, Pruchnik got caught out of the goal and Aaron Branco's header seemed to be rolling in. But a heads up play by a Bulldogs defender knocked the ball just out of the way of the goal line.

Sophomores Chris Platt and Bailey Fernandes each got a shot off in the fast and furious finish as did Eline and junior striker Matt Marques, but the Warriors couldn't convert. The Warriors next play at home, on Monday against Bourne.