OPTIMIST GAME OF THE WEEK: The Beagles edge Lee Chevrolet

Published 2:50 pm Saturday, October 11, 2014

DAVID CUCCHIARA | DAILY NEWS Lee Chevrolet’s Omar San Juan notched two goals in a losing effort on Saturday against The Beagles.

DAVID CUCCHIARA | DAILY NEWS
Lee Chevrolet’s Omar San Juan notched two goals in a losing effort on Saturday against The Beagles.

Sporting its customary highlighter yellow uniforms, The Beagles played a rock solid defensive game en route to a 3-2 win over Lee Chevrolet on Saturday.

Despite the low scoring affair (for Optimist Club recreation soccer standards), this Division III matchup featured two of the top goal scorers in league in Jesus Luis Martinez and Omar San Juan. Both players, sporting the coveted No. 10 jersey, would notch a multi-goal performance.

Martinez and forward Michael Reid exchanged a few nicely placed crosses to start the game and a few even shaved the woodwork. But it was a cross from Seth Davis 10 minutes in that landed right on Martinez’s foot, as The Beagles striker corralled it and slipped it past the goalie to put his team up 1-0.

Following the strike, it was Lee Chevrolet who began to pick up speed, controlling most of the possession for the remainder of the half. With 10 minutes to go, San Juan fired a shot that deflected off the outstretched arm of a Beagles defender. The official signaled for a penalty kick and San Juan was called upon with a chance to tie the game. He buried his shot in the bottom right corner.

However, in the waning minutes of the first half, The Beagles would strike back, as Martinez dribbled through two defenders, led the goalie to the edge of the six-yard box and flicked a shot into the net, giving his team a 2-1 lead at the break.

In terms of possession, both teams battled it out in the second half, matching each other in the midfield. The game would come down to who could limit their own mistakes and capitalize on their opponents.

After a few missed chances from San Juan, he finally found the back of the net after a Luis Ramirez shot deflected off the goalie. A San Juan one-timer tied the game with 30 minutes to go in the game.

But it would take just a few minutes for The Beagles to respond. Reid found himself on the end of a through ball from the midfield and he used his speed to get behind the defense. Reid ripped a bad angle shot just between the goalie and post to give The Beagles a 3-2 lead, one it would battle for 25 minutes to keep.

With the win, The Beagles improve to 5-1 on the season and remain in first place in Division III. It will face Select Bank today at 2:15 p.m., while Lee Chevrolet will look to avoid dropping two in a row when it takes on Pizza Inn.