Boys U9 Red Defeats Westport

Following up their dominating three-game victory and subsequent Tournament win during the Scarsdale Memorial Day Tournament, the New Canaan/UK Elite U9 Boys Red Travel squad dominated on home pitch, 9 to 4 against Westport.

With minutes of the first kick off, Alberto Reyes made quick work Westport, carving his way through center pitch and driving a hard straight shot to the bottom left hand of Westport's goal. Sebastian McNeil followed suit within minutes of the second kick off, managing a bouncing pass from Reyes across the center of the box and lifting the ball above Westport's goalie, into the upper left hand corner of the net.

Westport quickly countered with an attack, slipping past New Canaan's defense and sending a slow rolling sleeper through the unsuspecting legs of New Canaan's keeper.

At 2 to 1, New Canaan was quick to realize the negative potential and at the third kick off, Connor O'Donnell navigated the ball into Westport's full side of defenders, passed to an open Ethan Crawford who gathered the ball and proceeded to put it away to secure a 3 to 1 lead. Not ready to take a breather, New Canaan's Alberto Reyes took control of the ball at the ensuing Westport kick off, deftly snaked his way through Westport's unsuspecting defenders, and landed his second hit of the half, for a 4 to 1 lead over Westport.

Despite New Canaan's apparent control of the game, Westport showed no signs of giving up and put New Canaan's defense to task. However, it was the tenacious blocking and intercepting of New Canaan's Travis Sturke, Aidan McLaughlin and Charlie Vincent that thwarted Westport's best efforts. By the end of the first half, Reyes had completed a hat-trick and O'Donnell had landed his second goal.

Entering the second half with a healthy lead over Westport, New Canaan's coach Matt Lannon instituted a heavy recycle tactic of 10 touches before striking. For the better part of the second half, New Canaan's boys did well in executing short and long passes as well as man to man defense. Westport strikers managed an additional three goals, however, New Canaan answered with an additional two of their own, one from Crawford and a heads-up, text book pass from Tommy Augustine up the center to Tristin Burt who put it away with clinical precision. At the final whistle, New Canaan had conquered Westport with a 9 to 4 win.

NC Pride