Smithtown East varsity boys soccer defeated Centereach 2-0 after a scoreless first half. There are only two games left in the season and East needs to win both to reach the .500 record to make the playoffs.
Score: 2-0 Smithtown East over Centereach
Records: Smithtown East 4-6-2 (5-7-2), Centereach 4-7-1 (5-8-1)
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The Hero: Smithtown East turned up the pressure in the second half after a scoreless first half of play. Seven minutes into the second half, sophomore forward Adam Goldstein was positioned perfectly to finish off senior Kyle Metz's cross and headed the ball in to break the scoreless tie.
The Turning Point: East never looked back after that. "I think the first goal opened up the door for us to continue to play," said head coach Mike Menendez. "We continued to press, and we didn't go into our defensive shell after the first goal." Nine minutes later, senior defenseman Joe DiLorenzo connected with a rebound and put the ball in the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
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Key Stat: "Getting the first on the board is always key," coach Menendez said. Not only did it give East a lead, but it changed the momentum in favor of Smithtown.
Who's Next? Smithtown East travels to Copiague (0-12-1) this Tuesday for their second to last regular season game. The two teams faced off on Oct. 1, with the game ending in a 2-2 tie.
The Bottom Line: There are only two games left in the season, and the 5-7-2 Smithtown East squad needs to win both to make the playoffs. Any team with a .500 record makes the playoffs.
Their last regular season game will certainly be a challenge. Smithtown East hosts their undefeated cross-town rivals and Coach Tom Lips on Thursday. A win will get them in the playoffs.
Goals: Adam Goldstein (33 minutes remaining in second half), Joe DiLorenzo (24 minutes remaining in second half)
