Home Local Sports Salesianum soccer celebrates Senior Night with a win over Archmere

Salesianum soccer celebrates Senior Night with a win over Archmere

787
Salesianum's Paris Pappas works against Jacob Nowaczyk as Auks goalkeeper Niko Triantafillou lurks in the background in the Sals' win. Dialog photo/Mike Lang

WILMINGTON — It was Senior Night at Abessinio Stadium, and for Salesianum’s soccer team, the seniors did most of the damage in a 5-1 victory over Archmere on Oct. 14. The Sals remained undefeated against in-state competition this season.

The first half was controlled by the Sals, as they held the Auks without a shot and kept the pressure on the Archmere defense for nearly all of the 40 minutes. The hosts nearly connected in the fifth minute, but a sliding Sallies player was just late getting to the ball, which skipped over the end line. Auks goalkeeper Niko Triantafillou made his first save in the 11th.

It didn’t take much longer for the Sals to get on the board. In the 14th minute, Reese Peddrick, one of the team’s seniors, sent a ball into a crowd in front of Triantafillou, and classmate Felipe Fernandez sent a shot through the traffic into the net.

Triantafillou made several impressive saves throughout the rest of the half, stopping Darius Gavris on one shot and Gianluca Marroni on another. The Sals’ Paris Pappas had a chance, but his chip went over the crossbar.

Pappas came out swinging in the second half, with the Auks’ keeper stopping him in the 42nd minute, and a second shot in the 45th slamming off the football crossbar. The reprieve, however, was temporary.

Salesianum’s seniors and their families were honored before the game.

Contact in the 18-yard box between resulted in a penalty kick for the Sals in the 46th, and senior Matt McFadden converted to double the lead. Just two minutes later, Pappas got his goal on a free kick after a foul was called on Archmere just outside the box. Gavris was next, taking a long through ball from Pappas and sending a blast off the keeper’s hands and into the net to make the score 4-0.

The Auks were able to generate some pressure after that goal, and their work paid off in the 58th minute. Jason Lotkowski picked up a loose ball in the Archmere defensive end and sent a pass toward Mark Chua, who was racing upfield. Chua got ahead of two Sals defenders and sent a shot in on Sallies keeper Zach Bittner. Bittner stopped the initial shot, but the rebound rolled to his right. Chua had followed his shot and sent the ball into the back of the net.

Peddrick earned his second assist of the evening on the game’s final goal. His crossing pass was redirected nicely by Morroni.

The Sals had a 12-3 shot advantage, and they had three corner kicks to none for the Auks. Bittner had two saves. The Sals (8-3) travel to Caravel on Saturday at noon.

Triantafillou had seven saves for the Auks, who fell to 6-5. They are home Saturday at 11 a.m. for a homecoming match against Middletown.