Yesterday afternoon, on an unseasonably warm afternoon that saw the heat index rise to 88-degrees, the boys’ soccer team topped Long Island Lutheran, 3-2, to improve to 2-1 in PSAA play. The game was a rematch of last year’s PSAA Championship which the Bears won 2-1 to claim the program’s first postseason crown.

From the opening minute and throughout the first 40, the Bears controlled the action, sending wave after wave of attack pounding against the Crusader defense. Three early scoring chances were wiped away by LuHi’s stout goalkeeper, but the Bears remained undeterred. At the 19:18 mark, Lee Maeba finally broke through with a brilliant back heel kick that slipped into the left netting for a 1-0 lead. The scoring continued at 6:40 when Owen Sobel sent a brilliant ball into the box that Devin Saraniero volleyed out of the air, off the post and in to put the Brook ahead 2-0. Four minutes later, the Brook built a 3-0 lead when Sobel nutmegged his defender and dished the ball to Ian Blunt who found the net to give the Bears a three-goal advantage at the half.

LuHi was resilient despite the deficit and the loss of a man to a red card and broke their scoring drought at the 21:39 mark. They continued to push the action, but Andy Liu left his line for a save with 7:30 left, a stop that loomed larger when the Crusaders converted a penalty kick with 1:26 left to pull within a score. But the Blue and White defense held on for the remaining 86 seconds and preserved the win.

The Bears are back in action on Friday in a quick rematch at Long Island Lutheran.

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