Etown vs NYU

**Editor's note: it was a long weekend and I am tired but I want to get this up now...so it is unedited. However it came out from the time I typed it while watching the game is how it appears, I will edit it sometime soon. Enjoy, leave me some feedback**

Thus far the day has not being going well for the Blue Jays. The bus driver got lost, and then was unable to complete several right hand turns on the tiny streets of Hoboken with the gigantic bus. We caused tons of traffic and made a lot of Jersey folks very unhappy. The team finally arrived at the field with just 30 minutes before the game started. NYU has granted the Jays more time for warm-up. The Jays were getting ankles taped up on the bus by their awesome trainer Caitlin who had to struggle through some tough conditions to get the boys ready to play but did a superior job (she’s in line for the Buffalo Bills award). Skipper was also affected by the delay as he had to give his pre-game speech on the bus, and cut it short. But he let the team know how much he has been dreaming about this season. He also wants the boys to come out and put a lot of pressure on the NYU defenders.

NYU will be playing a 3-1-4-2. At first look at them they have a good mix of speed and size.

I get the feeling both teams will be keeping the ball on the floor and try and win the possession battle.

It’s a beautiful day here at Stevens Tech, about 80 degrees with a cooling breeze coming off the Hudson river which is about a 5 minute walk from the field. A really beautiful stadium with a turf field, a great venue with great teams here to start the season, should be a fantastic match as the boys are getting ready to take on the #4 team in the country the NYU Violets.

Some fun facts I just though of as I wait 13 more minutes until kickoff….

NYU school size…. 40,000
Etown school size…. 2,000

NYU vs Messiah last year, 3-0 Messiah in the Final Four
Etown vs Messiah, Etown 1-0 in the Commonwealth Semi-Finals

Etown has players from 5 states.
NYU has players from 14 different states and one from a different country, London, England. (Finally someone that can understand Richard Winstanley, our Manchester, England native coach).

A Violet vs a Blue Jay- Let’s face it a flower is not an intimidating school mascot. In fact, it’s plain embarrassing, I for one hope NYU doesn’t say “1-2-3- GOOOOOO VIOLETS!” if they do, advantage Blue Jays right off the bat. At least the Blue Jay is an angry bird.
Update: They did not say go Violets ☹

Wes and Winstanley have a good long talk with freshman starter Cameron Gettel about what is expected of him from center back. (Who better to talk to, Winstanley former second team all-conference player at that position, and Wes First Team All-Region at the position. Wes is excited to have Cam back there with him)

Starting Line-ups
Etown
Greg Snow- GK
Wes Bunting (captain)- center back
Cameron Gettel aka “Killa Cam” (freshmen)- center back
Zach Galbraith-right back
Josh Hoffman- left back
Michael Terry aka “Sunshine” (captain)- halfback
Steve Petrosky-halfback
Mike Helsel- halfback
Bryan Holt- halfback
Matt Diller- forward
Taylor Helsel (freshmen)- forward


NYU Starters
Chris Wright-GK
Nicholas Palmer-D
Matthew Tier-D
Jeritt Thayer-M
Branden Neal-F
Chris Wolf-D
Sami Ibrahim-M
Adam Dhanens-F
Matthew Ramirez-M
Anthony Tumbiolo-M
Devin Freeman-D
4 seniors and 4 juniors

GAME TIME!!!!
NYU ball
44:37: Foul NYU soft foul called on Holt.

44:03 Cameron Gettel doing a lot of communication with Wes in the back. Ball comes dangerously close to the BlueJayBlogger and I now realize my laptop is in danger here…

43:04: Cross headed out by Jays right to 26 for a wide open shot, GREAT save by Snowman for a corner.

43:00 Corner kick, wide-open header on goal, right at Snowman, thankfully, two big saves early by him.

40:07- Neither team really composed on the ball in the early going, NYU with some early chances but neither team doing a good job of possessing the ball.

39:08 Looked like a ball out of bounds off of Wes but called a six-yarder. Not a great six yard kick by Snow.

36:35 Free kick Etown, in the position of a corner kick, first scoring chance of the season…Perfect service by Hoffman to Diller’s head, wide left, but out for a corner.
Holt drills a low cross of NYU’s keeper’s hand but he recovers the rebound.

35:00 Shot by NYU from about 30 yards out, no real danger easy diving save by Snow.

33:47 Great header by Helsel to Hoffman for a good cross, NYU keeper nabs it out of the air.

32:57 First foul of the year by Wes, took him long enough—jeez.
Free kick put in box headed the wrong way by a Blue Jay shot on the goal off the cross bar from about 8 yards out, had Snow beat if it wasn’t too high, that makes three defensive scares already.

31:09 Holt take a ball right off the face from point blank range, has a bloody nose must be taken off. #8 Andrew Filewicz subs in, freshmen.

30:30 Filewicz gets stuck in for a aggressive challenge, ref has a word with him, no card. Biggest tackle of the game thus far. Free kick to the top of the 18 headed high and wide for a 6-yarder.

15 minute update…
After the first 15 minutes it’s been a rocky start for the Jays. Neither team is stringing passes together but NYU is creating the opportunities. Jay’s need to regroup quickly before they find themselves one down. Also the ref is a real stickler for having jersey’s tucked in, its annoying.

26:38 Sunny makes a great move towards goal and get fouled just to the right on the 18 yard box. Zach serves the ball headed back to him headed back by Zach, shot by Zach knocked out for a corner. Nothing from the corner.

25:02 Skips got the subs up, looks like George Severini and Brian Raveling in for Matt Diller and Taylor Helsel. Maybe the senior’s can bring something to the game for the Jays offensively.

22:55 Turf monster gets 19 for NYU after he had a good run…unlucky.

22:36 Nice combo by Raveling to Filewicz to George for a corner.

21:49 Corner by Filewicz to Severini for a GOAL off a header!

The seniors up top, Raveling and Servini, are bringing a lot more offensively to the Jays just in the first 5 minutes of being in. The Jays have been working on retstarts ALL week long in practice, and it paid off. The Jays net most of there goals off of restarts.

20:44 Wes directs Cam to get stuck in…the freshman listens and wins a nice tackle and shoulders the NYU player off the ball. The goal is relaxing the Jays on the ball.

19:02 Off a free kick from 40 yards out to the top of the 18 flicked on by Jeritt Thayer in the back corner of the net. 1-1 game now.

This is the 2nd opportunity the Violets have had off a long free kick the Jays need to dominate their 18 yard box in the air and they aren’t right now.

17:11 Cam is reminding off a mini-Wes as he wins another hard tackle. Wes might have a bash brother back there with him.

14:22 Long throw into the box by Zach, called for a foul throw-in, I’m pretty sure the last time I saw that call I was 7-years old. I disagree with the call referee. UPDATE: Zach admits to being over the line on the throw in

12:25 Dangerous opportunity by the Violets but Wes steps in and forces a poor pass that goes right to Snow.

11:51 Linesman, who called the foul throw, calls a 6-yarder but overruled by the head ref for a Jays corner. Poor kick easily cleared.

Adam Liddle, freshman, in for Helsel.

11:00 Great give in go by NYU that had NYU in on a breakaway but called for off-sides.

9:21 NYU is kicking a lot of long balls into the box for Snow to come out a grab. I’m not ready to pronounce NYU a kick and run team quiet yet, but I’m getting closer.

8:50 Great pass from Raveling to Servini. Great save from NYU keeper.

8:27 Shot by NYU off their GKs punt (I think), save by Snow

7:05 The wind off the Hudson river is picking up. Its been a disadvantage for the Jays thus far but if it keeps blowing this hard it will be a major advantage for the Jays in the 2nd.

5:47 Free kick to the right of the 18, hits off someone and trickles to Snow.

5:13 Over the walkie-talkies I hear that Etown’s pizza will be delievered at 2pm ☺. To bad the game will still be going on, but the Stevens Tech people are planning on keeping them warm in the kitchen.

3:35 Shot for NYU from 25 yards out blocked by Wes. Corner kick

Corner headed out of the box by Wes played back in by NYU for an NYU shot right at Snow for a good save.

1:58 Great move by NYU #8 for a wide-open rip from 25 yards out, off the upper 90 post. Snow loves his posts today.

HALFTIME 1-1

Halftime Analysis- The Jays have to be happy to get out of that half tied. The Violets have had all of the chances thus far and can’t capitalize. It could have easily been 3-1 if not for the crossbar and some good saves by Snow. BUT, the game is tied. That gives a mountain of hope to the Jays who will play the second half with the wind at their backs opposed to the uphill battle that they had to fight with the wind in their face. The Jays pick up right where they left off last year offensively, scoring off of a restart, but other than that have had less than a handful of opportunities. Both teams are very well matched athletically so far, we will see if the fitness last for both teams in the second half. It is definitely an early season game as neither team is really stringing together passes or looking very comfortable on the ball.


STATS:
Shots: NYU 11
Etown 4

Saves: Snow 6
Wright 1

Corner kicks: Etown 4
NYU 2

Fouls: 5 each

The wind is really starting to howl here, my guess is 15 mph. Papers are flying off the press box table as I am the only one still sitting here, I just watch as the refs go and chase them down and bring them to me.

2nd Half
Same starting lineup for the Jays except Adam Liddle is in for Petroski and Diller is out for Servinin. And Filewicz is still in for Holt, who is dealing with his bloody nose.

45:00 Jays ball WITH the wind.

42:13 Great cross into the box shot by BYU 26 OFF THE CROSSBAR again. WOW! Snowman better kiss his posts after the game.

40:49 Throw in Jays deep in NYU territory, thrown in to Filewicz makes a nice pass to Sunny who makes a great move but gets stopped by the 2nd defender before he can get his shot off at the 18.

40:42 Injured NYU player #27 Devin Roche, after a few minutes he limps off.

39:41 Taylor Helsel has the ball about 35 yards out in the middle of the field plays a long ball tote corner out from a 6. Skip tells him to shoot.

38:15 Long ball over Cm’s head into the box, he recovers and is able to knock it away to Snow.

37:33 Long ball served in the box Taylor Helsel challenges the goalie for the ball, fouls the goalie, tiny scrum ensues.

36:06 Servini subbed out for Diller.

35:24 Great ball across the entire field by Zach to Taylor Helsel at the top of the 18. His shot gets blocked.

34:06 Great move by the original Helsel (aka Mike) to get off a cross but NU GK collects it in.

32:34 Shot wide by NYU #15 about 17 yards from the goal on the right.

31:22 Hard foul by Wes and he gets the first of many yellow cards of the season. Free kick for NYU on the left about 10 yards behind the 18. Deflected by the wall and cleared out. Played back in the box, Snow hesitates off the line and header sneaks in over his head. NYU goal by Thayer his 2nd of the game.

2-1 NYU.

30:54 Extremely aggressive tackle by Wes leaves an NYU player down, ref is havng a talk with him and decides to leave him in the game and not give him a 2nd yellow. Dangerous foul there by Wes the team can’t afford to lose him down 2-1.

29:48 NYU showing some very unselfish play and rather than taking a long shot they pass it around. SUB: Holt back in for Liddle.

28:45 Corner for the Jays off another great ball into the box by Zach.

Corner kick by Zach right to Wes headed right down to the corner good save from NYU keeper.

26:26 Great ball into the box from Zach, Diller challenges for it and takes the keeper out. Clean play by both on a 50/50 ball. Keeper is down but just has the wind knocked out of him.

25:30 Free kick for the Jays 45 yards from goal. Wes called offsides.

21:56 Miscommunication between Wes and Snow almost results in a goal for NYU. Shot goes just wide. Seems like Snow called it and stopped as Wes is screaming at him.

20:14 SUBS: Helsel and Cartwight in for Diller and Hoffman.

19:13 Great play by Taylor Helsel who gives Sunny a chance on goal. Tough shot that trickles wide.

16:00 Taylor Helsel takes a throw in outside the box and proves he can throw it a mile but right to NYU keeper, who is very strong and confident off his line.

13:04 The Jays have finally gained control of this game. They looked settled in both offensively and defensively.

11:07 Filewicz in for Taylor Helsel.

9:31 Free kick Jays 35s yard out on the right. Zach serves it right to NYU keeper.

8:20 Corner kick NYU. Headed by Wes but leaves it in the box for shot that sails high.

5:31 NYU corner. Through Snows hands headed out for another corner.

4:48 Corner knocked high over the net for a 6.

4:30 Pacella out for Servini…Crunch time.

3:36 Zach tries a shot from about 40 yards out. Good tought, ya never know.

3:30 Skip instructs boys to push up and stay up.

2:46 Servini earns a corner.
Filewicz takes it Wes heads it Jays claim a hand ball, play continues Wes saves the ball form going out and Holt has a great shot that ws blocked. Great defensive play by NYU.

1:17 Left ball in Etown territoty, Skip checks the clock.

GAME OVER 2-1 Violets.

Jays didn’t really look comfortable until the 2nd half after NYU went ahead 2-1. A disappointing lose for the Jays here to start the season but NYU had the majority of the chances. Skidmore will be facing an angry group of Blue Jays tomorrow.


FINAL STATS:
Shots: NYU 21
Etown 10

Corners: Etown 6
NYU 5

Saves: Snow 7
Wright 2

Fouls: NYU 10
Etown 7

Records:
NYU 1-0
Etown 0-1

Etown now has the same record as Messiah.