Valley Sports ReportTOWANDA — Three different players found the net, and that was more than enough offense as Athens posted its seventh straight shutout to start the season in a 3-0 win over Towanda here Wednesday night in NTL boys soccer action at the Endless Mountains Sports Complex.
"It was a very similar start as other games this season, slow, sloppy at times and not playing the way we wanted to play," said Athens coach Travis Reynard. "The second half looked like a whole different team, we moved the ball and created great combination play, but just could not finish the final chances.
"Defensively, it was not our best night and there's lots to work on, but adding another shutout has shown how strong this defensive unit, including goal keeper Zach Fisher, can be," added Reynard. "But. they all know it can be better."
Senior Carter Bleiler, off a cross from sophomore Patrick Umber, scored with 18:40 remaining in the first half to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
About 9 1/2 minutes later, Eli Vogell rifled a shot-on-goal that deflected off a defender and past the keeper to make it 2-0.
Umber added an unassisted insurance goal about 4 1/2 minutes after the intermission to provide the final margin.
"Offensively, we had lots of great looks on goal, but couldn’t find the back of the net as much as we wanted," said Reynard.
"As the game progressed, we started attacking with urgency and were unselfish and played as a team.
"Our depth came into play, and was a crucial part to this win and our offensive attack, especially senior Carter Bleiler, who put in his best game this season and got the first goal for us," added Reynard.
Athens had an 18-1 advantage in shots-on-goal, and a 7-6 edge in corner kicks.
Junior Zach Fisher had one save in net for the Wildcats.
Athens, now 6-0-1, travels to Elmira for a non-league contest Thursday, and travels to Williamson Saturday.
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PHOTOS 1-10 BY CHRIS MANNING ... PHOTOS 11-24 COURTESY OF LEIGHANNE INGRAM.
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Your athlete works hard, and their dedication deserves to be seen. With Showcase by Circle W Sports, you can give your child a professional, online presence that stands out to college coaches and recruiters. Whether your child is aiming for a college roster or just wants to proudly showcase their journey, Showcase helps tell their story the right way.
