Winchester Boys Soccer Ties Cambridge, 1-1

Winchester held a 1-0 lead against a tough Cambridge Rindge and Latin team on Saturday, October 13 for most of game, but Cambridge scored a late goal to salvage a 1-1 tie.

Cambridge disrupted Winchester’s usual controlled passing game and twice threatened in the first half.  Cambridge’s best opportunity came off a penalty kick at 31:30, but Winchester keeper Chris O’Connell made a great save to keep the game scoreless.  With less than two minutes left in the first half, Zach Samson boomed a shot on goal that was deflected by the Cambridge keeper. Zach Landau picked up the loose ball and put it in the net to give Winchester a 1-0 lead.

The second half was much like the first, with lots of long passes and lost balls by both teams.  Then with 2:02 left in the game the Cambridge attack lofted a soft kick just over the leaping O’Connell and just like that the score was tied, 1-1.  Winchester played some of its best soccer of the game in the remaining 2 minutes, and had a shot that clanged off the goalpost, but it was too little, too late and the game ended 1-1.  Winchester’s record is now 10-0-3.

Two other players deserve special mention.  Evan Carey played a strong game, making a couple of great defensive saves, and also taking a ball up the sideline to the corner and making a great pass into the box.  Kevin Calnan held down the middle of the field, breaking up plays by Cambridge and feeding Winchester’s attackers with excellent passes.