ORR 5, Fairhaven 5

"Cruz a  media."   Cross to the middle.  It's a fun game ORR boy's soccer has been playing at the end of practice for the past two weeks.  Today the team played Cruz a media with Fairhaven and scored 4 of their 5 goals.   ORR squander a 4-1 lead and had to scramble in the final minutes to earn the draw.

Mike Pruchnik opened the scoring early in the match heading home a beautifully corner kick from Max Houck. Two minutes later Houck scored during a scramble on the Fairhaven goal line.   In the 21st minute the Reds again played a game of Cruz a med when Alden Truesdale sent a corner kick into the goal mouth and Pruchnik again put it away for the 3-0 lead.    Fairhaven began their comeback a minute later on a mix up in front of keeper Melvin Vincent that left and open goal for Travis Fereira to slot home unchallenged.

The second half began well for the Bulldog's when Alden Truesdale fought off Fairhaven's last defender and let loose a well placed shot that beat keeper Kris Moore cleanly to the far post at the 10 minute mark.   It looked like ORR would coast to a victory with both teams trying unsuccessfully to organize their midfield and mount an attack.

Midway through the second half Fairhaven turned up the heat.  Goals by Sean Masse Josh Nunes and Alex Silva  evened the score with a five minute assault that left the Red's stunned.
Fairhaven had one more charge left and that paid off when Silva scored his second goal with 7 minutes remaining.  The celebrating began for Fairhaven and that would come back to haunt them.

ORR settled down and began take advantage of Fairhaven over confidence with their own assault. The Reds got another chance to try out their new favorite game, Cruz a med.  This time the ball bounced out to Truesdale and he fired the tying goal into the upper corner.   ORR broke into their own celebration but refused to settle for a tie. 

With time running down ORR mounted it's own full out assault. .  With under a minute ORR was awarded a corner kick.   The Reds filled the area with 6'2 Pruchnik, 6'1 Robby Magee, 6'3 Alex Milde, 6'1 Will Santos for one last game of Cruz a med.  As that game dictates, there was a scramble in front of the net, but this time Fairhaven managed to clear the ball out of danger and end the well played, well fought match.

Coach Sullivan  ORR

"Both teams had this game won.  Both coaches are happy to survive with a draw. Being the one who scored the last goal,  I'm probably a little happier than George, (Gomes of Fairhaven)"

"Melvin Vincent played a really good game in net for us.  His command of the goal area took a lot of heat off of our defenders who were under pressure all day.  Not bad for a 13 year old freshman. "

Teddy Costa was a force on defense for most of the game.  His move to offense when ORR was down a goal put enough pressure to crack Fairhaven's defense forcing the corner kick that gave ORR the tie.  His speed and heady play created three golden chances for ORR to come away with the victory but all three breakthroughs were ruled offside eliminating the chances for the win.

ORR 3-7-2 need to win their final four matches to qualify for the post season.  They travel to Case on Monday and Wareham on Thursday.