NEHS boys’ soccer players make adjustments, pound out fifth win

BY: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
    After a lackluster scoreless first half against Moorestown Friends on Monday, New Egypt High boys’ varsity soccer head coach Sam Palumbo gathered his thoughts and then approached his team to give them their halftime game plan adjustments.
    Just as he reached his club, Palumbo noticed his boys were already sitting down immersed in a deep conversation about what had just transpired on the field and what they were prepared to do about it.
    “For the first time ever I asked them what they were talking about and they told me and it was the same thing I was about to say to them,” said Palumbo, who then instructed his team to go out and do all the things they had already been talking about doing.
    Taking their own advice, the Warriors went out and scored four second-half goals and ended up trouncing a very talented Moorestown Friends’ club, 4-0, at Moorestown.
    “That second half was the best half of soccer we played all year long,” noted Palumbo, whose team, at 5-2, has played a lot of excellent soccer this season.
    Andrew Konop scored on a direct kick to get the Warriors on the board and then New Egypt goalie Dave Wenskoski proved to everyone that he is a multi-dimensional soccer player by scoring on a penalty kick.
    “This year we have been miserable on penalty kicks and Dave has been practicing and making them and has a beautiful shot,” added Palumbo, who didn’t hesitate to let Wenskoski take the shot. Adam Lipay (assisted by Chris Schwear) and Rob Brown (assisted by Chris Bette) also netted goals for New Egypt.
    The Warriors had 20 shots on goal and Wenskoski made seven saves to record the shutout. However, he received a lot of help from his stopper Ron Valdner. Valdner drew the tough assignment of marking Moorestown Friends’ star Ben Lassere, who had 16 goals entering the contest.
    “He was excellent,” said Palumbo of Valdner. “He shut him (Lassere) down completely.”
    Palumbo was pleased to see his team respond so well after having suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss at Riverside this past Saturday.
    “That was horrible,” said Palumbo of the Riverside game.
    Neither team scored in the first half, but then in the second stanza Konop tallied to stake the Warriors to a 1-0 lead over the Rams. The Warriors had a chance to build on that lead but missed a penalty kick, which later came back to haunt them when the Rams made a late run.
    “They (the Rams) scored two goals in the last 15 minutes of the game,” said Palumbo, whose team was coming off a pair of spectacular offensive performances by Rob Brown.
    Brown scored a hat trick in New Egypt’s 3-2 win over Maple Shade at New Egypt on September 24th.
    “Rob Brown did a great job of dribbling the ball around their sweeper,” noted Palumbo.
    Brown scored all three of his goals in the first half to put New Egypt up 3-0 at the intermission. The distributors on Brown’s goals were C. Bette, John Parin and Lipay. New Egypt out-shot Maple Shade, 14-10. Wenskoski made seven saves to earn the victory.
    On September 22nd, New Egypt hosted and thumped Ranney, 3-0, as Brown scored all three of Warriors’ goals in that one too. C.Bette and Parin each assisted on a Brown goal. New Egypt took 13 shots to Ranney’s four. Wenskoski made three saves to pick up the shutout.
    “He (Wenskoski) hasn’t given up a soft goal all year long,” Palumbo remarked. Incredibly, Brown scored six consecutive goals for the Warriors in the wins over Ranney and Maple Shade.
    Palumbo’s highly-skilled team has a tough schedule this week. New Egypt was scheduled to have played a game at Willingboro this past Tuesday. New Egypt is scheduled to host Holy Cross today (Thursday) and Florence on Saturday. Next Monday, New Egypt is scheduled at Medford Tech.