Turf Time: Etown @ Drew

Wednesday September 13th
Elizabethtown College Blue Jay vs Drew University Rangers
7:00 pm Turf Field of Doom and Demise
Conditions: Overcast, chilly...but it’s turf, so nothing really matters.

STARTING 11
Etown (3-1-1)
GK- AJ Fleisher
3- Jeff Warusz
4- Michael "Sunshine" Terry
5- Mike Helsel
7- Mike McCabe
11-Wes Bunting
12- Josh Hoffman
14- Rick "King Richard" Winstanley
16- Bryan Holt
22- Matt Diller
27- Zach Galbraith
Coach- Skip Roderick

Drew (1-1-1)
GK- David Brigandi
2- Dan Bonder
8- Justin Starnes
9- Brian Dempsey
10- Matt Sidie
13- Joe Favata
15- Glenn Fitzgerald
16- Marc Chiarello
18- Matt Bonder
20- Bredin McCord
21- Dan Wehrle
Coach- Lenny Armuth

Pre-game Notes: During my college search, I initially looked at Drew for their beautiful campus and rigorous academics, however, after a 3-hour bus ride I hate the entire state of New Jersey...Highlight from the bus trip: Someone asked McCabe how long it took to get here, and he replied 2 hours and 45 minutes...without missing a beat, Skipper turned around and with a very straight face stated, "No Mike, It was 2 hours and 40 minutes"..Etown comes in following first loss of season 1-0 to 12th ranked Stevens Tech following tough series of games....Drew enters the matchup also coming off their first loss, a shocking upset at the hands of Dickinson 2-1 in overtime....During his pre-game pep talk Skip once again dug up some great material that inspired even me to blog the best game of my life...for luck, over my shirt and tie I’m rocking my blue #11 Wes Bunting throwback jersey circa 1975...ignore the fact that Wes will not be born for another 12 years or that everyone else in the press box think I’m a douche bag...it cost 2 dollars at homecoming last year, and I’ve gotta represent for the boys...When these two teams have hooked up in the past, it’s always been an exciting match...hopefully tonight will be no different..did I mention the turf might be a big factor?.

3rd Minute: Turf is definitely taking a while to get used to...ball is bouncing all over the place.

6th: Drew player sticks head into a dangerous tackle...fans hungry for a call in favor of Drew....ref opts for the Blue Jays.

7th: Hoffman volleys a nice shot on goal but Brigandi has no trouble and scoops it up.

8th: Rangers with a quick counter...Dempsey looks to be sprung on a breakaway but Galbraith gives a nice bump and ball goes out for a goalkick.

9th: Helsel with some space on the right flank, tries to cross, ends up with a shot....unlucky.

13th: Etown defense tries to clear the ball, but mishits it...falls right to the feet of Wehrle who winds up and rips a shot right at AJ...that was a little to close for comfort.

15th: Drew with ANOTHER early foul...that’s five on the game for the Rangers....maybe trying to set the tone early.

18th: Free kick opportunity for the Rangers...Sidie sends a long kick from mid-field into the box, but AJ rises above the pack and snags it out of the air.

20th Drew- Walsh and Pisani in for Matt Bonder and Fitzgerald.

23rd: Drew with some dangerous opportunities in the box, but shots keep getting blocked by Blue Jay defenders.

26th: Rick with a couple nice tackles out of the back...King Richard is looking pretty sharp early on.

29th: Drew- Costa, Pumphrey, Zizik in for Dempsey, McCord, Dan Bonder...Etown-Tommy Reinmiller for Matt Diller

31st: Favata with a hard foul on Sunshine...first yellow of the game goes to Drew.

32nd: Etown- Dirty Dan Flaherty for Diller

*Let it be noted that at some point during the game George Severini came into the game...neither the people in the press box, nor myself have the slightest idea when this substitution took place....I have reason to believe George may have simply materialized onto the field.

36th: 50-50 ball in Drew’s box...keeper can’t get a handle and Severini knocks the ball loose...he fires off two shots, but Drew defenders protect the goal

36th: Etown- James Runyon, Pete Moore, and Owen Friedrich for George, Sunny, and Hoffman

39th: Drew- Dempsey for Pumphrey

40th: Etown starting to keep the ball in Drew’s end....the boys look more comfortable with the turf.

40th: Rick with a hard tackle on a Drew player, foul is called....people in the stands think Rick is the whanker.

41st: Bonder with a great through ball to Dempsey that burns the Blue Jays defense....Dempsey dribbles toward goal then unselfishly dishes to Zizik who finishes the wide open opporunity...GOAL! Drew 1-0.

First Half Recap: Neither team looked all too dangerous in the first...still not sure how TWO Drew players got that wide open, maybe an off-sides trap gone bad...despite earlier comments, still not sure if the boys are comfortable with the turf, it’s definitely not making for very pretty soccer from either side...It’ll be a tough second half battle for the Jays...they just have to settle down, show some composure, and capitalize on any Drew mistake.

Stats at the Half-
Shots 5-5
Corners 0
Saves 5-1 Drew
Fouls 15-4 Drew

Start of 2nd: Runyon up top to start the 2nd...looks like we’re only playing with 3 in the back...this could be interesting.

47th: Bunting goes up and wins the ball out of the air, but commits a foul....I didn’t really notice him in the first...he definitely has to be more of a force in the second.

49th: Jays with an early look, free kick from 30 yards out....Hoffman sends it in but it sails over the Blue Jays target and out of play.

53rd: Runyon sends lazy cross into Drew box, Owen flicks it on, Tommy runs it into the goal for the first score of his Blue Jay career...GOAL! 1-1

53rd: Drew- Matt Bonder and Anthony Pisani...Etown- Diller for Runyon

57th: Drew- Glen Fitzgerald for Jeff Walsh...Etown- Bryan Kuppe for Helsel

58th: Dempsey with a wide open look from 6 yds out, but duffs on the shot...out for a throw

59th: Etown- Dirty and Helsel for Sunny and Reinmiller

59th: Drew player beats his man, serves a nice cross, but AJ comes up big again.

60th: Diller receives a nice pass inside Drew’s box, hits it wide....both teams getting some good chances to net the winner.

62nd: Great hustle by Wehrle, he sprints to save the ball from going out, then Zizik prevents it from going out on the baseline, beats his man and makes a beautiful cross to Dempsey whose header sails just above the crossbar.

63rd: Etown- Sunny for Rick

67th: Wehrle sends a dangerous cross into Blue Jays box, AJ again punches it out of danger.

68th: Blue Jays get first corner of the game....Hoffman sends a long high in-swinger deep to the back of the box...can’t find any Jays...cleared by Drew defense.

68th: Etown- Steve Petrosky for Dirty

70th: Rangers get their first corner down at other end...Matt Bonder curls it into the box, but it’s outted away from danger.

70th: Etown- Brian Raveling for Kuppe

71st: Etown- George for Diller

72nd: Matt Bonder with another corner for Drew...beautifuly struck, looks like it’s curling in but one of Etowns backs heads it out.

74th: Dangerous opportunity for Drew....foul called on Etown right at the top of the 18...Dempsey with great strike upper-90, but AJ makes a ridiculous saves to tip it over the bar.

75th: Drew- Walsh and Pisani for Fitzgerald and Matt Bonder

76th: George deep in Drew’s box, pass to Sunny....Sunny winds up, but shot is blocked by Drew defense.

77th: Drew- Degernes for Dempsey

80th: Wes with a great step to the ball...ref calls foul, good look for Drew.

80th: Drew free kick, headed out by Etown defense.

81st: Man in front of me has been cheering all game....but I wouldn’t really call it cheering, it just consists of "HEY BONDER" and "WHUD YA SAY MATTY"....I think he’s either mentally challenged or one of the Sopranos.

85th: Diller with a great one-touch to Rick running on...King Richard settles but hits it just wide.

85th: Drew- Dempsey and Fitzgerald for Zizik and Walsh.

85th: Rick with some more action up top....Skipper LOVES putting Rick up top...Rick hates it.

87th: Alex Degernes with a nice dipping shot that goes just wide of goal.

88th: McCabe fouled deep in Drew territory...free kick for the Jays

88th: Hoffman sends it across, headed away by Drew player... Etown corner

89th: Blue Jays with a vicious foul on Drew player in middle of the field....no call...Drew fans call ref a whanker and I don’t even think he’s British

90th: All hell has broken loose...Etown player goes down, but Ref doesn’t immediately blow whistle...players don’t know what to think, Drew player has breakaway, but realizes play has stopped...AJ, unsure of what Drew player is going to do, "drops the hammer" on unsuspecting Drew player...Drew fans say dirty things about ref’s mother...9 seconds left in game...MASS CHAOS...24 seconds put on the clock....yellow cards issued to AJ and the player who "Hammer was dropped on"....Etown free kick....I hear fans calling for tar and feathers.

End of Regulation Recap: Jays got just what they needed in early goal...both teams busted their tails and had great opportunities...I think the Jays switched up to a 3-5-2...worked pretty well...But with this Referee, I can’t really be sure of how this one will end up.

Start of First Extra Period: Skip leaves same formation in back with Galbraith, Holt, and Wes...Ravs and George up top.

94th: Sidie with a harsh tackle on English Rick...both players collaspe to the ground for several minutes...ref issues Sidie a yellow.

95th: Drew fans think Galbraith and his pony-tail look like a member of Hanson... they start singing "Mmm Bop"....I think they’re nincompoops.

98th: Helsel sends a dangerous ball into the box...Brigandi tries to punch it out but Wes leaps above and gets a head on it to flick it out....Severini controls the rebound and scores on the wide open goal....GOAL! 2-1 Etown. Game over.

Final Stats-
shots 13-11 Drew
corners 4-3
saves 5-3
fouls 24-11

Man of the Match: AJ "Golden Gloves" Fleisher
Buffalo Bills Award: George Severini

End of Game Recap: Despite refereeing, turf, tough opponent, the Jays never stopped hustling and picked up a HUGE victory...Good play front to back tonight, if the boys would have played tonight on grass they would have won big...I like the momentum...good start early in the season....and best of all, we’re getting pizza on the way home...I’m giddy.

Next Up:
Etown vs PSU-Altoona
Saturday September 16th
7:00 pm
Ira R. Herr Field