CLAYMONT — The Caravel Buccaneers, ranked fifth in Division II by 302Sports.com, scored three goals in an 11-minute span to defeat the top-ranked Archmere Auks, 3-2, on Oct. 24.
The Auks controlled play early and got the first scoring chance in the eighth minute. Benjamin Meredith raced down the left side of the field, but his shot was stopped by Caravel keeper Logan Boettcher. The teams traded possession time in the next 20 minutes, but both defenses were solid and there were no scoring chances.
The defending Division II champion Auks would get on the board first in the 29th minute as Sam Gattuso blasted a penalty kick past a diving Boettcher. The Bucs responded three minutes later off the first corner kick of the match. Michael Cooke scored on a header off the beautiful set piece to tie it. The Bucs would strike again in the final minute of the first half as Miles Hood took a feed from Samrath Singh and just got the ball by a diving Niko Triantafillou to make it 2-1 at the half.
Singh didn’t waste any time in the second half as his goal in the 43rd minute off a pass by Michael Anderson increased the lead to two. The Auks answered right back 20 seconds later as Joseph Iacono scored on a great shot to cut the lead to 3-2.
The Bucs’ defense was solid after the goal and forced the Auks to the outside of the field. Archmere did get three corner kicks in the final five minutes but failed to convert on their set pieces.
The Bucs outshot the Auks, 5-3, but the hosts had the edge, 5-3, on corner kicks. The Auks (1-1) will host St. Elizabeth on Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. The Bucs (3-0) have beaten two top-five teams this week. They host Delaware Military Academy on Monday night at 6:30.
All photos by Jason Winchell.
