St. Thomas @ Portsmouth
Friday Night October 10, 2012

The Saints traveled to Portsmouth to play in their second night game of the season.
It turned out to be the coldest night of the fall so far with Temps dropping to 33 at game time.  No one wanted to know what it really was with the wind chill added.  It was great timing on getting our new team jackets.

Back at St. Thomas they were celebrating homecoming with a night football game.  Every player on the field was appreciative that we still had good representation in the stands.

Portsmouth was celebrating senior night as it was their last home game of the regular season.  They were nice enough to include recognition of the St. Thomas Seniors also.  Players were announced and went out to the field to shake all the coaches hands.  Martin Carter, Sam LeBlanc, Scott Suleski, Charlie Griffiths and Jason Suleski all wished each senior luck and congratulated them.

For St. Thomas:

Ben Mardin, Evan Surprenant, Noah Schwaegerle, Sebastian Olsen, Brian Ellis, TJ Tetreault, Jon Nartiff, Simon Smith, John Sweeney and Tony Kassas.

For Portsmouth:

Collin Siverts, Alex Mayeux, Joe Ricci, Sean Swist, Ramiro Drovetta.

The Saints took the field with Ben Mardin in goal.  The Defense was Noah Schwaegerle, Sebastian Olsen, Brian Ellis and Aaron Dubois.  The Midfield was Evan Surprenant, Bryan King, TJ Tetreault, Xavier Quinn and Tommy Griffiths.  Eric Eames as Striker.

St. Thomas took the kick off moved the ball well through the midfield.  The Saints were making good short passes and were able to get some early shots to test the Clippers keeper.  The play on the turf was fast and Portsmouth had a slight advantage, but St. Thomas was marking well and retaining possession longer when they had it.  Tetreault, Quinn and King were working well with the ball crating space.

Simon Smith went in at outside midfield, Andrew Marino went in at striker.   Scott Lamoureux and Guy Kassas went in at defense to add their help to the Saints game plan.

13:06 saw Surprenant send a ball to Marino in the box by the near post.  He tipped it across to Griffiths by the far post.  Griffiths then sent the ball back into the goal past the wrong diving Portsmouth keeper.

John Sweeney went in at defense to keep the Clippers at bay.

Beau Patteson and Tony Kassas went in as strikers.  Jared Ham and Noah Guilfuchi went in for the Saints offense at outside midfield.

With 17 minutes left in the half and Portsmouth pressing on a counter, Mardin came out and made a diving save but the rebound went out to a Clipper at the top of the 18 yard line.  His shot went over the sprawled Mardin and looked like a certain goal when Guy Kassas came out of nowhere and headed the ball safely over the cross bar.  The act gave new life to the Saints as the bench went wild.

St. Thomas put 5 shots on net in the first half and the Clippers had managed 3.

Halftime found the Saints up 1-0.

St. Thomas went out in the second half with a goal lead but knowing it wasn't enough.

Portsmouth took the kick off down the field and sent the ball to the near side to Kyle Siverts.  Siverts took the ball down the touch line and turned on the goal line beating two saints defenders and came up on Mardin on the near post.  He made a great move drawing Mardin away from the post and then sent the ball through into the net.  The Clippers had tied the game just two minutes into the second half.

The game picked up pace with quick counters by both teams and hard physical play on defense by both sides.

At 32:20 the Saints were able to amount a strong attack that saw them put a ball into the box that was headed by Surprenant and looked like a goal but the Portsmouth keeper was able to tip it into the cross bar and as the rebound came out Griffiths sent it across the box just missing the far post.

Portsmouth seemed to have the upper hand in the waning minutes of the second half.  Every call seemed to go their way.

The half ended with the score tied at 1 all.  The Clippers had outshot the Saints 8 - 5

Now came Overtime - the third time for the Saints this season.

The first overtime period started with Portsmouth sending a great through ball to a breaking striker who raced in alone on Mardin.  It looked like the overtime would be over quickly.  Mardin came out cutting down the angle and as the Clipper player released what he thought would be the game winning goal Mardin's fingertips sent it just wide of the post.  Portsmouth was able to mount more attacks but the St Thomas defense held strong.  The Clippers held the advantage in shots 5-1 over the Saints.

The second overtime period saw the Saints dig down deep and start to take back control.  Portsmouth wasn't able get a shot off in the period.  St. Thomas had a number of great chances but the Clipper defense held and their keeper came up with 2 good saves to keep the tie.

 

Ben Mardin had 14 saves, Guy Kassas had 1 while the saints put 14 shots on frame.

St. Thomas will travel to Trinity on Monday October 15 for a 4:30 game start.

 

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