Mount Greylock Boys Come Back to Top Lenox
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- It was a Lenox shot off the crossbar in the second half and a Cal Filson save that changed the tide Friday evening and propelled the Mount Greylock boys soccer team to a 2-1 win over Lenox.
Lenox was up 1-0 at half-time after finishing a penalty kick opportunity with 1 minute, 23 seconds to go in the half. The Millionaires came out in the second and saw two back to back opportunities. The first came on a breakaway from Nic Baruch; Filson charged out of the net to challenge and swiped the save. The next was a shot minutes later that hit off the crossbar, bounced back down to the ground and was then saved by Filson again.
"I have no idea whether it went in or not, I think I was a little too caught up in the moment," Filson said. "I'm glad I was able to quickly rebound and grab the ball, but I would say that was a big spark in this game and I guess you could say that definitely turned us on to score those two goals."
The first was with 28:10 on the clock. Crow Brennan sent the ball across the 18 to the feet of Quinn Johnstadt who volleyed it into the back of the net for the equalizer.
Just 24 seconds later -- and after a Mount Greylock timeout -- the Mounties added another.
Naka O'Connor carried the ball up the middle of the field and fired it at the net just inside the 18 to put them in the lead 2-1; where the score remained through the final 27:46.
"I was preaching the same thing as half-time; we got it back to a 0-0 game we wanted to outplay them the rest of the way, you know it wasn't anything magical I said to lead to a goal that quickly that's for sure," Mount Greylock coach Blair Dils said. "These guys are a young team, and I have to remember that. I forget sometimes, but some of these guys haven't played under the lights on a Friday night, so there was some anxiety there and we just wanted them to have faith in their teammates, have faith in your abilities and just finish the match out and play strong."
And play strong they did, on both sides.
After the Mounties went up 2-1 things got a lot more aggressive and the whistle was blowing a lot more. Lenox was eager to get the equalizer and they had opportunities too, but Filson came up big.
With less than two minutes remaining, the Millionaires set up for a free kick about 10 yards outside of the 18. Their goalie Matt Tibbets was pulled out of the net to add another body inside 18.
Tibbets got a head on the ball and sent it straight to the top of the net, but Filson got his hands on it and left the score at 2-1.
"They did a really good job of playing balls in my sort of 'grey area', where it's really difficult for me to decide whether to come out or stay back and definitely kudos to them for putting in my zone," Filson said. "Beating a North team is always a big statement in Berkshire County, it's a very big win."
Matt Hiem of Lenox earned their penalty kick goal in the first half; sending the shot high to the left corner.
Mount Greylock (5-0) hosts Pittsfield Tuesday afternoon. Lenox (2-2-1) hosts Wahconah on Tuesday.