Jay County hangs on in big test vs. Burris (09/10/03)

PORTLAND — Muncie Burris brought a talented team of Owls to Jay County Tuesday. The Patriot boys soccer team proved it was up to the challenge.

Jay County took a 2-0 lead with just under 20 minutes to play, and held on for a 2-1 win despite a late Owl charge led by Evan Anderson-Decina.

“We hadn’t had a game that we’ve actually had to play (in a while),” said Patriot coach Alan Bailey, whose team defeated Union City 11-1 Saturday. “They stepped up.”

“This is our second game,” said Burris coach Srinivasan Sundaram. “We just haven’t had time to gel yet. I’m waiting for them to settle down.”

After giving up a dangerous indirect kick early — which Nick May rejected with his head — Jay County (6-1) took to the offensive.

Thirteen minutes into the game Kyle Carpenter missed, sending his shot right by the right post and off the fingertips of goalie Ryan Hobley. Scott “Scooter” Bruggeman would use a deflection to his advantage just minutes later.

Bruggeman won a battle for the ball on the right side of the goal 18-yard box and just a few feet from the end line. Scooter angled a line drive shot toward the goal, and Hobley got in position to make the save.

However, as he moved forward the Bruggeman shot skipped off defender Nic Stedman’s chest and hopped softly into the goal behind Hobley’s back.

“We’ve been scoring goals every way you could possibly score a goal,” said Bailey. “That’s a winner. That’s what it takes.”

The 1-0 lead stood for more than 40 minutes before the Patriots gave themselves a bit of a cushion.

Bruggeman was in on the second score as well as he controlled a crossing pass from Luke McClung on the right side of the 18-yard box. He dumped the ball into the middle where Dave Johnston punched it in for a 2-0 lead.

Anderson-Decina gave the Owls a chance, dribbling down the left end line past a series of Jay County defenders to score past goalie Trent Bailey with 10:54 to go. But, despite playing most of the final 10 minutes on the Patriot defensive end, Burris could not pull even.

Both teams had scores waived off in the contest. Jay County lost one after an offsides call, and Burris lost one on an offside and one on a goalie interference.

“I tried to put my midfielders on the defensive side of the ball,” said Bailey of the closing minutes of the game. “I knew what was going to happen. I knew they’d make a run.”

Kyle Carpenter led the Patriots with six shots, McClung took five and Bruggeman had four as the teams finished even with 25 shots apiece. Trent Bailey recorded six saves.

Yongjun Heo shot eight times for Burris, and Anderson-Decina took seven shots.

“I’m really happy,” said Bailey. “I knew this was going to be a big one tonight. This has got to be a confidence builder for these kids. (Muncie Burris) is a good team we proved we can play with.”[[In-content Ad]]