PENNY HILL – After seeing wave after wave of offensive chances foiled as the second half progressed, the St. Elizabeth soccer team finally broke through at Mount Pleasant. The Vikings scored twice in three minutes late in the contest to take the 2-0 win on Oct. 25.
Vincent Corbino scored the first goal, with an assist to Sean Holly, in the 69th minute to finally put a score on the board. Vincent Fahey followed three minutes later, connecting on the helper from William Spychalski.
The Vikings’ defense finished the job after that, keeping the Green Knights away from goalkeeper Ethan Downs. Downs stopped all three shots he faced. It was St. Elizabeth’s second shutout win of the year; they also have two 0-0 ties.
The teams played evenly throughout the first half, with offensive chances being held to a minimum. The Vikings earned a corner kick in the fifth minute, but the inbounds pass was headed out of harm’s way. Fahey blocked a Green Knights outlet pass in the 10th, and the ball bounced in on Mount keeper Victor Cox, who gobbled it up. Mount Pleasant’s first serious opportunity came in the 16th, as Downs was forced to go low to stop a sharp-angled shot after a throw-in. He was called on a minute later to stop another shot, this one a looper off the foot of Mark Ilodigwe.
It was the Vikings’ turn a few minutes later. Cox made a diving stop in the 21st, and off a corner kick, St. Elizabeth sent a shot over the net.
The second half belonged to the Vikings, as they turned up the pressure. An aggressive Green Knights defense, however, and Cox, who finished with 15 saves, kept goose eggs on the scoreboard until the final 11 minutes.
The Vikings improved to 3-7-2. They have little time to enjoy the victory, as they meet Salesianum on Friday at 4 p.m. The game, St. Elizabeth’s fourth this week, is a home game that will be played at Sallies.
The Green Knights, who honored six seniors before the game, fell to 0-13-1. They wrap up their season on Tuesday at St. Georges. Game time is 3:45 p.m.
