SHEFFIELD, Mass. – Philip Enoch converted a penalty kick in the 76th minute Friday to give the Mount Everett boys soccer team a 2-2 against Springfield’s High School of Science and Technology.
Sci-Tech was whistled for a handball inside the 18 as time was winding down, and Enoch, who already had an assist in the game, buried a shot low and to the right of the visitors’ keeper that snuck inside the post to level the score.
It was the second time in the game that the Eagles erased a one-goal deficit, and it gave Mount Everett (4-8-1) a 4-2-1 record in its last seven games.
“We gave up an early goal, which was tough, but I thought we responded,” Mount Everett coach Joe McSpiritt said.
“I’d say the last 20 minutes of the game, we had good pressure and created some chances were able to create the pressure that resulted in the penalty, and we scored it.”
Sci-Tech got the jump on the Eagles when Elisa Tuybahe converted a centering pass from the right wing just 1 minute, 14 seconds into the match.
But the Eagles, who fell, 3-1, when the teams met in Springfield during Mount Everett’s 0-6 start, righted the ship.
And 10 minutes after falling behind, Enoch hit a direct free kick from 40 yards out that Guthrie deflected into the goal to make it 1-1.
The Eagles’ best chance to take the lead came in the 17th minute, when Charlie Burdick’s corner kick from the left wing found Gavin Snyder in the box. Snyder’s header went just wide, and the teams went into the half-time break all even.
Just like at the start of the game, the opening stages of the second half belonged to Sci-Tech, which had four shots on goal in the first eight minutes of the half.
Ian Lanoue made some spectacular saves on his way to a nine-save afternoon to keep the match tied.
“He’s been really good all season so far,” McSpiritt said of the sophomore keeper. “He’s made saves like that. He catches balls that I think most goalies palm away. And it’s been huge having him back there.”
In the 62nd minute, all that Sci-Tech pressure finally paid off when Carlos Manzanilla scored from about 13 yards out to put his team up, 2-1.
That goal appeared to wake up the Eagles, who started taking the fight to the Cybercats.
In the 69th minute, Diego Cruz had a try from about 25 yards out that was just high.
And after a Mount Everett timeout, Enoch sent a ball diagonally from high on the right wing that Ben Giordano played deep on the left wing inside the 18. After fighting through a couple of defenders, Giordano sent a centering pass through the 6, but no one from Mount Everett was able to make the final touch.
Two minutes later, Enoch completed the comeback for Mount Everett.
McSpiritt was not surprised his squad was able to rally from a pair of deficits before a home crowd on Senior Day.
“They were out here ready to play hard,” McSpiritt said. “We have three seniors – Diego [Cruz], Mason [Snyder] and Dominic [Germain], and they came out ready to play.
“Even though we were down a goal, they wanted to fight back and get a result from the game.”
Mount Everett will look to avenge another early season loss on Wednesday when it travels to Smith Academy.
