CLAYMONT – Senior Brian Burns scored three goals to lead second-ranked Archmere past St. Elizabeth, 4-1, in soccer on Sept. 10. Burns didn’t waste any time, scoring a minute in on a fast break to give the Auks the early lead.
The Auks kept the pressure on, but Vikings goalkeeper Wesley Gant made four spectacular saves. His first one was a diving stop off a 15-foot shot. He later made a diving stab off a Burns shot that was going far post. After that one, he launched a 60-yard punt, and 20 seconds later, the Vikings tied the game. Zell Johnson tallied in the 25th minute, but that was the only offense St. Elizabeth could muster.
Archmere kept up the pressure, and Andrew Rosenbaum just missed on two opportunities. The first one went just wide of the net, and in the 32nd minute, he drilled the right post. The Auks got another good shot on goal in the final seconds of the half, but Gant deflected it wide. Time expired before the Auks could take their corner kick.
The first 10 minutes of the second half were all Archmere, which earned five corners but couldn’t convert until Burns scored off a Sam Gattuso cross in the 51st. Two minutes later, Gattuso found Carter Galbus to extend the lead to 3-1.
The Auks kept the pressure on, but Gant made a few more great saves. Archmere iced the game in the 75th minute, when Burns scored a pretty goal off a nice feed from Rosenbaum.
The Auks outshot the Vikings, 21-3, and had 11 corners to one for St. Elizabeth. Archmere (2-0) is back in action on Thursday on the road against First State Military Academy.
Gant had 15 saves for the Vikings (0-3). They face Caravel on Thursday at 3:45 p.m. at Alapocas Run State Park.
