An observer could see something was brewing by watching the Bulldogs walk from the bus to the field. They did not look like a high school team. Most over 6' and blond, wearing their black and red warm ups, walking with a swagger of confidence and pride in their colors, they very much resembled a German professional team.
At 19:38 Zucco took a pass from Matt Teefy and cleanly beat Voke's keeper Luis Carranza to the far post by ricocheting his shot off of a Voke defenders shoulder. Five minutes later, Nick Coelho sent a cross from the left that somehow managed to find Zuc in a den of bears for his second that stunned Voc forcing them out of their game plan and into a scramble for a comeback.
ORR was playing smart defense that produced good counter attacking opportunities. During one of those counters ORR made a series of bad decisions in one play that gave Voke the boost they needed to mount a ferocious attack. Those mistakes allowed Voc to easily pick off a pass and beat eight ORR players with one counter attacking pass down the left side. Felipe Dias beat his lone marker and sent a cross into the area that found Nick Oliveira wide open allowing him an easy header past a diving Matt Beatty. For the next 30 minutes Voc tried solve the Red's defense. To their credit Voc broke through a few times, but still had to shoot past Beatty minding the net. Matt did a masterful job turning back 9 shots, most of them bullets, in the half.
As a team, ORR again managed their lead by playing fast, hard and intelligent defense. The back four of Chris Hirrallel, Marc Gammell, Noah Filloramo and Boo Gaspar held their zone tight forcing Voc to settle for long shots from 20 to 30 yards out. Many were on target but two of them beat Beatty who had to rely on a good friend of his, the crossbar, to keep the Bears off the board. The biggest save of the day however came from Beatty's "best friend" of the day, midfielder, Colby Stabell. Nick Oliveira lifted a ball over the outstretched arms of Beatty that was headed for the open goal. Colby went to afterburners and cleared the ball out of danger just as it was about to cross the line. The team, fans and coaches let out a collective "woot, woot" and a double fist pump in Colby's honor. Teefy and Nate Houston took care of the midfield by shutting down the passing lanes that the Bears used so effectively in their first meeting.
In the final half minute of the match, Nick Coelho was sent nicely on a break away with only Garranza to beat. In his excitement, Nick tried to rip the net off the goal post, but his decision to blast his shot to the near post left him staring into outer space waiting for his wide shot to land somewhere in Acushnet.
Voc outshot ORR 18-6
Voc had 4 corner kick to ORR's none.
Voc forced Matt Beatty to make 11 saves while Garranza made 4
Voc scored 1 goal. ORR scored 2
The Bulldogs end the regular season with an 11 game unbeaten streak and a 14-2-2 record, good for second place in the SCC on point behind the champs, New Bedford Voc. Congratulations to Coach Andrade and the Voc squad.
The Reds now wait for the State Tournament draw that takes place on Thursday, November 3rd.
Robert Earl Keen does a song worth playing at any celebration
Put on your dancing shoes, turn up the volume and
Click here to celebrate with us
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