Lenox Boys Knock Off Unbeaten Westfield Tech
LENOX, Mass. -- It has not been a good week for teams wearing purple to play the Lenox boys soccer team.
On Monday, the Millionaires handed Pittsfield its first Berkshire North loss of the season.
On Thursday, Westfield Technical Academy took its first loss of any kind when Michael Abdalla scored four times to lead Lenox to a 6-2 win.
Lenox wasted no time jumping on top in this one. Nic Baruch cashed in an early chance when he went five-hole on the Westfield Voc keeper in the second minute of the game. In the 15th minute, Emerson Wolski cashed in the rebound of an Ian Laurin shot to make it 2-0
"There were a lot of rebounds we had," Abdalla said. "The goalie was alright, but we had a lot of nice opportunities because we crashed the box after."
The visitors woke up with a goal from Aleksandr Stepanchuk, but Lenox answered that one to make it 3-1 and Stepanchuk's second to make it 4-2 at half-time.
"We've been practicing all week the final third," Lenox coach Dave Pugh said. "That's all we've done all week is the final third. Becauase, defensively, middle of the field, we've been pretty strong all season. Our finishing in games has not been the best.
"I think we took care of some opportunities early on. For the most part, we were taking high percentage shots, put some shots on goal. We made their goalie work. Six goals, I think, is indicative of that."
The last four Lenox goals came from Abdalla.
The fourth was probably the prettiest of the game, a header with 12 seconds left in the half off a cross from Luke Murphy.
Abdalla, who registered his first career hat trick -- and then some -- on Thursday, said the momentum of the Monday win over Division 1 Pittsfield carried through the week for Lenox.
"That was a big game for us," he said. "We've been working hard. It's not just me. It's our whole team."
Nick Monteleone and Zi Santos earned assists on Abdalla's second-half goals. Matt Tibbets made eight saves to earn the victory in net.
Although it may not have the cachet in these parts that comes with a win over PHS, Pugh said the victory over Westfield Voc (12-1), a Western Mass quarterfinalist a year ago, is good for the Millionares' program.
"That was an undefeated team," he said. "Last winter, I asked my A.D. to put them on our schedule because I want to be playing high-seed D4 teams during the season -- first to give us looks but also to set ourselves as a D4 team that belongs at the top."
Lenox hosts Pittsfield on Monday.