Avon Lake Defeats St. Edward’s On The Pitch With 3-0 Hard Fought Effort

The game began with chances for each team. In the third minute senior Edison Lemanowicz tested the Eagles’ goalie with a powerful shot that he had to palm away, and it fell to junior Spencer Chippi, whose driven shot sailed wide high and to the left.

A few minutes later St. Eds has a ball drop at the back post that they poked towards the goal, but freshman Zach Glesius made a great leaping save to keep it out and the defense cleared.

Ten minutes into the game the Shoremen struck, off a lovely free kick. The Eagles had just given up a careless foul on a ball that looked like it was going out for a St. Eds throw in, and paid for it. Junior Drew DelGiudice hit a ball to the near post that Lemanowicz flicked to the back corner and in. The goal was his fourth on the season.

Avon Lake almost doubled their lead ten minutes later after a long through ball played in by junior Derek Stepak, playing center back tonight, found its way to fellow junior Danny Lambert, who cruised in on goal and hit a nice near post strike. The Eagles keeper made a great save to get down to his right and push it out for a corner kick.

The Shoremen also generated a dangerous opportunity with just under a minute to go in the first off a well taken corner kick from senior Cam Salco, who forced the St. Eds goalie into another quality save as he had to fly off his line and make a full extension punch to stop what looked like an almost certain goal at the back post.

The second half looked like it would be more pressure from the Shoremen as two minutes in they were knocking on the door step once again. Sophomore Zach Ramsey used some nifty footwork to free himself and find senior Joey Caputo, who played a diagonal cross that snuck past the Eagles’ defense and made it to Salco. Unfortunately his effort went just barely wide left despite sending the keeper the wrong way.

Five minutes later junior Josh Lawniczak picked up a ball in the middle of the field and found himself free to launch a shot from 30 yards out, which seemed to dip as it tailed away from the keeper, who did well to knock it away for another Shoremen corner kick.

About a minute later St. Eds almost caught the Shoremen off guard as their forward found some space behind the defense and was about to hit his shot when a last ditch effort from Stepak managed to stifle the threat.

In the 55th minute another Shoremen free kick looked dangerous as DelGiudice hit one to the top of the six yard box that senior Andrew Jacobson beat the keeper to but could not turn home.

About ten minutes later Avon Lake finally broke through off a nice sequence. Lawniczak flicked a header at midfield that Lambert picked up before playing a centering pass to DelGiudice, who chipped a pass to the right corner of the 18 yard box that Lemanowicz then dummied back to Lambert.

Lambert’s expertly taken cross was met and finished by a nice lefty shot from DelGiudice, who had continued his run into the box. His fourth goal of the year made it 2-0 Avon Lake.

The final score was assured after senior Kristof Nieschwitz made a knifing run with the ball through the Eagle 18 yard box and took a shot that was blocked by an Eagle defender. Sophomore Logan Allemeier took the deflection and hit a shot that was saved by the hand of a different St. Eds defender, earning a clear penalty kick. Nieschwitz stepped up and buried his shot leaving no doubt, and making it 3-0.

“Solid performance for us this evening,” said head coach Pete Klepek. “We took an early lead and then had to play much of the game protecting that lead. Our back line, led by Andrew Jacobson and Derek Stepak, and our goalie Zach Glesius, did outstanding work to keep us in control.

Colin Radca, Joey Caputo, Josh Lawniczak, even guys off the bench like Charlie Krause, Aidan Miller, and Ryan Smith were great tonight.”

With the win Avon Lake improves to 3-2 on the season. JV also was victorious in the first game, beating a big and strong Eagle’s JV squad 1-0 off a goal by freshman Andy Neipp that was assisted by fellow freshman Nick DelGiudice. JV moves to 3-1-1 on the year.

Both teams will be back in action on Wednesday September 5th as they host SWC rival Lakewood, games are at 5 and 7pm.