By Conor Nevins
BROOKLINE – It’s a shame “almost” doesn’t count in soccer, because the Northeastern men’s team almost ran Holy Cross off of Parsons Field Tuesday afternoon.
The weather might have kept many fans away from the game, but there is no justifiable reason as to what kept the Huskies off the score sheet, as they dominated possession all afternoon and created the majority of the scoring chances, but failed to convert any of them into goals.
Holy Cross managed to convert on its fewer opportunities, finding the back of the net three times and leaving the Huskies to wonder what went wrong after a 3-0 defeat.
“Holy Cross did nothing to win the game,” head coach Brian Ainscough said. “We did absolutely everything to lose the game.”
That sentiment summarized a tough afternoon for the Huskies.
The Huskies were putting so much pressure on Holy Cross early in the game, head coach Elvis Comrie called for his bench players to warm up just minutes into the game.
Northeastern failed to score with their possessions early and Holy Cross made them pay. Senior goalkeeper Sergio Saccoccio failed to handle an incoming cross cleanly, giving the Crusaders their first corner kick. On the ensuing play, HC senior midfielder Anthony Cinelli pounced on a loose ball in the box, sending a left-footed shot past Saccoccio, giving the Crusaders a 1-0 lead 15 minutes into the game.
The Huskies would spend the rest of the half punishing the HC defense, but got nothing to show for it. Freshman defender Andrew Konoplesky and senior midfielder Jeff Gannon both saw close range shots turned away by Holy Cross goalkeeper Richard Whipple. Senior forward Daryl Brack could only watch as Whipple tipped his last-second free kick over the bar, ending the first half.
The second half saw the same attacking style come up empty for the Huskies. They almost got the equalizer 10 minutes into the half, as sophomore forward Greg Kilkenny poked home a long throw-in, but the goal was disallowed as the referee inexplicably called offsides on the play.
While the call infuriated the Huskies’ coaching staff, it seemed to take some of the steam out of NU’s attack as chances on goal decreased. Konoplesky had the last good chance to score, trying to chip in a goal from just inside the box, but Whipple smothered the effort.
As the Huskies slowed down, the Crusaders began to turn on the counter-attack and got in behind the NU defense for two breakaways towards the end of the game, converting both times. Josh Trott and Marsalis Beckford rounded out the scoresheet for Holy Cross.
It was the fourth straight win for the Crusaders, who improved to 5-2 on the season. For the Huskies, it was their third straight defeat, dropping them to 1-4-1.
“The game’s about scoring goals,” Ainscough said. “You can have all the chances you like, but if you don’t put them away, you’re not going to win the game, so to say it’s frustrating is putting it mildly.”
Ainscough expects his team to start eliminating the mistakes that cost them goals in important games throughout the season.
“People are falling asleep at the wheel and forgetting their responsibilities,” Ainscough said.
Saccoccio hopes his team can stay positive and continue to put pressure on opposing defenses.
“Hopefully we start to put some of those chances away,” Saccoccio said. “They have to start falling eventually. Conference play begins a week from Friday, so hopefully by then we’ll be ready to go.”
