Benet boys soccer squanders lead

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LISLE -- Not finishing games well has been a recurring theme for the Benet boys soccer team this fall.

At no point this season was that more evident than during Wednesday's 3-2 East Suburban Catholic Conference loss to Marist. The Redwings held a 2-1 lead until the 7:46 mark of the second half, only to see Marist score two late goals to snatch away the win.

"They out-worked us at the end," Benet coach Henry Wind said. "In the last 10 minutes, they said, 'Let's go get them.' All of a sudden we weren't playing with enough aggressiveness. The last 10 minutes, they took it to us. Too many people wide open. It's how our season's been."

The loss was made all the more excruciating since Marist's winning goal came with 54 seconds left in the game. Forrest Olson fired a corner kick that bounced around the box before Danny Moore punched it in to set off a celebration on the RedHawks sideline.

"I felt we had the momentum after the second goal and we willed that last one in," Marist coach Sean Maxwell said. "It was awesome. As soon as you see the ball go over the goalie's hands, your eyes always light up and things get very intense. When it hits the net, it's the best thing in the world."

Wind was exasperated describing Marist's tying goal earlier in the second half. Ryan Schneider had a wide-open look that was punched away by Benet goalie Alex Senetar, but an unmarked Johnny Olivieri scored on the rebound to tie the game.

That wiped out the lead that Benet (6-6 overall, 4-2 ESCC) earned with 10:05 left in the game. Off a Connor Miller corner kick, Nick Beavis got a head on it and Zach Ozog fired it to the low, left corner to open a 2-1 lead.

"We put in a nice cross, it bounced off of somebody's head and it landed at my feet," Ozog said. "I felt it was my responsibility to put it in the back of the net. I felt great."

Marist (10-6, 5-0) controlled play for most of the first half, but went to the break with only a 1-1 tie to show for it. The RedHawks had eight shots on goal in the half, but needed a Pat Morrissey goal with 5:00 left to tie the score.

Benet started the scoring after a sluggish offensive start with 19:11 left in the half. Miller's shot bounced off of Marist keeper Michael Duddleston and Mark Liber slid the rebound past him to open a 1-0 lead. Prior to that goal, Miller had a pair of shots on goal and that was it for Benet.

"I felt we dominated more in the first half," Maxwell said. "I thought we got into a little more of a kickball match in the second half."

Benet was left scratching its collective head after the loss, knowing that time is running out to correct its problems.

"We have kind of a problem sticking with it, but we'll see what happens," Ozog said. "We're going to have some good practices, play hard as a team and try to get these things worked out."