Lupiani, Wilbon Score to Lead Eagles Past McCann

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Mount Everett senior Bradley Lupiani broke a scoreless tie and a run offensive frustration for the Eagles when he scored in the second minute of the second half on Monday at McCann Tech.

 

Fewer than two minutes later, Malik Wilbon joined Lupiani in the scoring column, and Mount Everett was on its way to a 2-0 win over the Hornets.

 

"We've had a couple of frustrating games," Mount Everett coach Jesse Carpenter said. "We lost to a team in New York, where we had the lead 1-0 and had a bunch of chances to score and couldn't get it done. Then we played Taconic on Friday and outshot them and had a lot of chances to score and just couldn't get it by them.

 

"Then in the first half [against McCann], you saw them same things. We had a couple of breakaways we couldn't convert. So we talked about, just pounding away. We were able to get a goal, and then, sure enought, we got another one."

 

Lupiani converted a feed from Cavan Brady after McCann (2-2) turned over the ball on Mount Everett's left wing at the top of the 18.

 

There was nothing Hornets goalkeeper Chris Gajda could do as Lupiani ripped a shot into the far corner.

 

Moments later, Dan Litchfield sent the ball down the right wing for Malik Wilbon, who settled it in the corner and booted a shot that curled under the crossbar to give the Eagles a two-goal advantage.

 

"Sometimes we talk about, 'You've just got to find a way to put the ball in the net,' " Carpenter said. "Both shots were really nice shots that the goalie really had a nice chance on.

 

"One of the problems we've had is the ones that I thought we should have scored on are those garbage balls where the ball hangs out on the 18 for ever, and we can't find a way to get it in. To get those two goals was big."

 

And it was a big win for the Eagles program in a place where wins have been hard to come by.

 

"I don't think we've won here in like four years," Carpenter said. "It's been a tough place for us to come, and to get the win and continue to try to build this year is big."

 

McCann, which struggled to maintain much of a threat in the offensive end all afternoon, did put some pressure on in the closing minutes.

 

With just more than six minutes left, Shane Fuller was hauled down by a defender deep on the left wing, earning a direct free kick. His shot was on target, but Mount Everett keeper Ryan Meyer (six saves) made the stop.

 

The ball went out for a McCann corner kick, though, and after a timeout, the Hornets set up for a set piece that yielded another shot on goal. This try, from Justin Brassard just outside the 18-yard box, was handled by Meyer, and McCann never got another dangerous chance.

 

Mount Everett's best chances to open a first-half lead came in the final 10 minutes of the half.

 

First, a restart from the right wing found the right foot of Litchfield inside the 18, but Gajda was there to make one of his four saves. Then with about three minutes left, Mount Everett had a direct free kick from about 20 yards out, but the shot sailed over the crossbar to keep it scoreless at half-time.

 

McCann came into the game having scored 12 goals in its previous two outings, but coach Tom Bona suspected that his team might have problems finding its focus.

 

"I don't like Monday games because I feel we should practice before a game, and making these guys practice on Sunday ... I think it's wrong," Bona said.

 

"You don't get the focus having two days off and having a game."

 

Bona pointed out that McCann's other loss this year came on a Monday, and even though he does not like to schedule Sunday practices he is going to make an exception next week before Monday's home game with league rival Commerce.

 

"That was a team we tied our division with last year, so we're going to practice," Bona said. "I hate to change the schedule, but if we're going to play that bad ... "

 

McCann travels to Franklin Tech for its Tri-County opener on Thursday.