October 13, 2010
U. City wins seventh straight
Union City's Kevin Morales scored the game's lone goal in the 49th minute.
Click Here for more photos from Union City at Ferris.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
JERSEY CITY – One sign of a good team is the ability to win in less than ideal conditions. For Union City, yesterday was an example of dealing with such adversity and still leaving with a victory.
The Soaring Eagles were able to overcome the absence of their best midfielder and rain damaged field to hold off Ferris 1-0 yesterday, extending their unbeaten streak to seven games.
“I would have rather it not been a nail-biter for the whole game,” Union City head coach Bill Shapiro said. “But it’s kind of nice to know that when things aren’t in our favor we can still get an ugly win. A win is a win no matter what the score is.”
After a scoreless duel, the Soaring Eagles (10-2-1) broke through in the 49th minute of play. Bryant Rapalo unleashed a shot from the right side of the net which Bulldogs (1-12) keeper Miguel Lopez stopped, but was unable to gain possession of, allowing Kevin Morales to send the rebound into the net for the game’s lone goal.
“(Rapalo) kicked it and I went towards the net to get the rebound,” Morales said. “Luckily I got the score.”
“He’s just a natural (scorer),” Shapiro said. “Last year he kind of came alive for us in the playoffs and he worked very hard in the offseason to translate his playoff form into the regular season. A lot of the offensive pressure has fallen on him and he’s responded.”
Morales’ goal would prove to be enough as the Soaring Eagles held off a late Ferris charge. Keeper Jesus Amaro made just two saves, but made them count when he turned away a Lextor Santos header in the 58th minute and a Carlos Sebilla corner kick two minutes later.
“I told them I’m proud of you guys because you fought and fought and fought,” Bulldogs head coach Roberto Escobar said. “I knew that we were going to come in with that kind of mentality.”
That mentality, along with a muddy field still feeling the effects of recent rain storms provided a host of problems for the Union City offense in the early going. The conditions along with the absence of Daniel Dixon made it difficult for the Soaring Eagles to run the ground-based offense that has been so successful thus far.
“We’re a lot of control and finesse, playing the ball on the ground,” Shapiro said. “But here you can’t get your footing, the ball’s sliding all over the place. It’s very tough for us.”
When Union City did get opportunities, Lopez was in the perfect position to keep them scoreless. The sophomore keeper, pressed into starting action due to injury, made nine saves in defeat. Lopez had several huge stops, highlighted by one in the 21st minute when he punched away a Morales shot from right in front of the net.
Union City looks to extend its unbeaten streak on Thursday against Kearny and in Saturday’s Hudson County Tournament quarterfinal against St. Peter’s Prep.
Ferris’ playoff run may be over after Saturday’s first round loss to Dickinson, but Escobar believes his team has played better than its record would indicate and with just two seniors on the roster believes the potential is there for future success.
“(A lot of) those scores don’t reflect our play,” said Escober, whose team has lost five times by just one goal. “As the young team that we are, we’re playing them very tough.”
Sophomore Miguel Lopez made nine saves in net for Ferris.
1st |
2nd |
Total |
|
| Union City Soaring Eagles (10-2-1) | 0 |
1 |
1 |
| Ferris Bulldogs (1-12) | 0 |
0 |
0 |
| UC: Kevin Morales (Bryant Rapalo) 49th minute | |||
Goalies: F: Miguel Lopez (9 saves); UC: Jesus Amaro (2 saves). |
|||