Boys, girls look forward to fall season
After a strong first half, Manville Recreation’s third and fourth grade co-ed soccer team felt the heat of a 5-2 loss to Somerville’s fourth grade boys in the final game of the spring season.
Somerville scored early in the first quarter but Manville’s defense led by Kevin Flores, Ramon Quinonez, Scarlett Simpson and Aaron Schlosser, along with the strong goaltending of Devin Gardner, held the Somerville team scoreless through the rest of the first half.
Manville forward Bruno Riga carefully placed a shot in the corner of the net to end the first half in a 1-1 tie.
With the prospect of falling to a team which they clearly outsized, Somerville put it’s big guns forward, turned on the heat and rallied with four more goals going into the fourth quarter. Forwards Kieran Green, Michael Zangara, Chris Rodriguez, Julian Castro, Brianne Berrocal and Nicholas D’Acosta did well to power through Somerville’s defense. However, their shots were picked off by Somerville’s goalkeeper.
It was near the end of the game when D’Acosta maneuvered through the midday heat and an obstacle course of Somerville defensemen. After clearing the defense, he fired a successful shot from the 18-yard line to give Manville its second goal of the day.
Also playing tough in the game were Keyanni McGill, Keilor Chavez and Megan Jenkins, who did an excellent job with throw-ins.
Manville team members, who by season’s end called themselves Manville United, said they are looking forward to coming back even stronger in the fall.