Bruins Blank Patriots

Both the Lake Braddock Bruins and Yorktown Patriots came into Thursday night’s matchup playing their best soccer of the young season. The Bruins were riding a four game unbeaten streak and the Patriots had won their last 3 games. Something had to give and it wasn’t the Bruin defense, as the Bruins dominated the ball, scored an early goal and never looked back, defeating the highly-touted Patriots 2-0.

Within minutes of the opening whistle, Lake Braddock was threatening to score the opener. The give-and-go play of Christian Kosko and Jefferson Ortiz created a pair of early chances. Byron Ortiz split a pair of Patriots defenders moments later, but couldn’t finish the one-on-one with the keeper. The Yorktown netminder made a few more excellent saves, including a diving stop on a Kosko one-timer from point blank range.

However, the relentless Bruin attack would break through in the 22nd minute when junior Reynaldo Pastor broke free 30 yards from goal and slotted a beautiful pass to Jhimy Paz, who tucked it in at the far post.

“Jhimy is a guy who hasn’t played much at all for us this year,” coach Joe Soos said afterwards. “He had a chance to make an impact tonight, and he did great, I was really happy for him.”

If the Patriots had considered themselves fortunate to escape the first half only down one, they certainly looked to capitalize on that fortune early in the second. Their best opportunity came just one minute into the half on a header that took the outstretched slap of reserve keeper Aaron Fausser to keep it out of the upper-90.

After another Yorktown attack was cleared, the Bruins were back in attack mode. Danny Lawson had a great run in which he dribbled the keeper, but could not hit the empty net. As the teams tired and the field opened up, the Ortiz brothers looked to take over. Both Jefferson and Byron made spirited runs down the left hand side and beating several defenders before putting a shot on goal.

In the 65th minute, Jefferson Ortiz beat his defender along the end line before slotting a simple cross to Pastor who scored the back-breaking second goal. The Patriots would do their best to claw back into it, but the Bruin defense was too strong. Revitalized by the return of sophomore Ricky Crump from a concussion, the defense held Yortown’s star players at bay while winning nearly every 50/50 ball. A few half chances were the best the Patriots could muster, and the Bruins walked away with a convincing 2-0 victory.

“It wasn’t a district game,” Soos explained. “But anytime you get a good result against a team of this calibur, it really helps build your team’s confidence.”