By Blake Lange
Blue Wave soccer took the stage on Monday, November 14, against longtime rival New Canaan. The Darien squad brought home a state tournament win with a 1-0 victory, the only goal coming off an early penalty kick by junior superstar Brennan Branca, #2.
Blue Wave soccer took the stage on Monday, November 14, against longtime rival New Canaan. The Darien squad brought home a state tournament win with a 1-0 victory, the only goal coming off an early penalty kick by junior superstar Brennan Branca, #2.
The game started off slow, as usual with soccer games, until a dreadful New Canaan handball in its own penalty box opened the door for an offensive push. A rocket off Branca’s right foot screamed past New Canaan keeper Scott Levine, giving the Wave its winning goal after just 15 minutes of play. A scare came back for New Canaan just minutes later when junior forward Spencer McMullin, #11, came inches from an acrobatic shot to the back of the net. The ball hit the right side post and ricocheted out of play.
The Darien defense really stepped up in this one, completing an impressive shutout led by junior goalkeeper Jack Fisher, or “Fish” as he is known by many fans. Fisher made a few outstanding stops. One of them came off a Rams header that Fish just barely managed to punch away, keeping the shutout alive and the momentum in Darien’s favor. The senior-led defense was also instrumental in the win. Seniors Matt Collier, Elliot Helgans, and Geoff Hubbard all made crucial contributions to the shutout, meanwhile senior Eric Kanigan’s height and hard head kept airborne balls out of the goal.
Join the Blue Wave for the state tournament quarterfinals at Bunnell at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday. Congratulations Blue Wave soccer.
Pictured: Defenseman Marcus Iqbal (photo credit: FCIAC)
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