The Rye Boys Soccer team saw their five-game winning streak conclude on Tuesday, September 30, as the Garnets drew Keio Academy 1-1. Rye held a lead for more than half the match after scoring early, but surrendered a late equalizer and had to settle for just one point.
“This was a tough match against a quality opponent that played us very hard,” Head Coach Jared Small said after the game. “We had some opportunities to go up 2-0 and put the game away, but ultimately the 1-1 draw seemed a pretty fair outcome given the way things played out through the afternoon.”
Lex Cox scored in the 18th minute on a well-placed strike to the bottom right corner of the net from the left wing. Alec Dodge Terra and Kasen Scarperi both earned an assist on Rye’s only tally of the game. The Garnets had several chances to double their advantage, most notably early in the second half, as Peter Wilmot was denied by Keio keeper Konosuke Tominaga on a golden opportunity.
The Unicorns tied the game just moments after the game-saving stop. Aoi Yoshimoto capitalized after a Rye turnover in their own third. Neither team would find the winner down the stretch despite high tensions for both fanbases.
“Wilmot was his usual self, patrolling the middle of the park, blocking shots, winning duels, and setting the tone,” Small said of his talented center midfielder who nearly scored in the second half. “Filip Glitterstam deputized for the injured Shun Nagata, putting in a solid 70 minute shift in midfield. Alex Rojas stood out for the quality of his attacks on the right wing, and he generated a number of potential scoring opportunities with his ability to take defenders on… forward Eddy Kehoe made an impact late in the match with his speed and commitment to winning 50/50 balls.”
Despite the winning streak coming to a close, Rye has still not lost since September 10 against Byram Hills. They will take a 7-1-2 record and 2-0-1 mark against league opponents into their next contest, a road matchup at Pleasantville, on Saturday, October 4. Kickoff is set for 3:00pm as the Garnets look to stay unbeaten in league play. Watch it here.
“We’ve been improving noticeably almost every time out,” Small concluded. “We certainly can take some lessons from this one [against Keio] as we prepare for our next match.”
