Panthers soccer tops Massie, 5-1

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The first time Miami Trace’s boys soccer team played Clinton-Massie this season, it was a frustrating 0-0 tie.

Tuesday night, the Panthers hosted Clinton-Massie and came away with a 5-1 victory.

The Panthers held a 1-0 lead at the end of the first half.

Miami Trace’s Ethan Conn scored the only goal of the first half with the assist going to fellow senior Harrison Anthony.

Miami Trace had numerous chances in the first half, taking 15 shots on goal to four for the Falcons.

“We just couldn’t find the back of the net,” Miami Trace head coach Josh Thoroman said.

Clinton-Massie got the equalizer with 29:12 remaining in the second half. That goal was scored by Massie junior Matt Asher.

“That really woke us up,” Thoroman said. “We poured it on after that, finishing the game strong with four goals.”

Scoring what would prove to be the match-winning goal, Blake Pittser scored with 19:51 remaining. The assist went to Drew Batson.

Very soon thereafter, Conn dribbled the ball down the sideline and crossed the ball through, where Kody Burns converted the goal at the 19:26 mark.

Pittser scored the next goal for the Panthers with the assist to Brett Lewis with 16:15 remaining to be played.

Lewis scored as Pittser returned the favor with the assist at the 11:10 mark.

At that point, Thoroman cleared his bench, getting all the team members, all 25 involved in the action.

“We sent our seniors off in style on Senior Night,” Thoroman said.

Miami Trace’s seniors are: Thomas Bondi, Harrison Anthony, Ethan Conn, Nicholas Elrich, Tim Kinzler, Todd Peterson and Blake Pittser.

“The game plan was to out-hustle them to every ball, challenge every 50-50 ball and we did those things,” Thoroman said. “We beat them to the ball, we controlled the game.

“We dominated the play the first time we played them, just like we did tonight,” Thoroman said. “Only, the first time, we just couldn’t get a score.”

Miami Trace goalkeeper Tim Kinzler had six saves, including stopping a penalty kick, Tuesday night.

“Massie plays a high, off sides trap,” Miami Trace assistant coach Sean Sweeney said. “They press their defense to the mid-field to try and buy their keeper time to get to the ball.

“We began to get our guys to understand that they needed to run width-wise, not vertically,” Sweeney said. “To pull them apart so we weren’t off sides. Once we figured that out, it opened up the seams and allowed us to get attacking opportunities. That’s all we discussed during halftime.

“The kids did everything we asked them tonight,” Sweeney said.

Miami Trace (9-4-1 overall 5-4-1 in the SCOL) is at Washington Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Panthers will host Hillsboro Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a make-up match.

Blake Pittser (10) brings the ball up the home sideline for Miami Trace during an SCOL match against Clinton-Massie Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016. Also pictured for Miami Trace is Caleb Perry (31).
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/10/web1_Blake-Pittser-soccer-v-Massie-10-4-2016.jpgBlake Pittser (10) brings the ball up the home sideline for Miami Trace during an SCOL match against Clinton-Massie Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016. Also pictured for Miami Trace is Caleb Perry (31). Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

By Chris Hoppes

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Reach Chris Hoppes at 740-335-3611, ext. 1104, or on Twitter @choppes1ch

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