Raiders Defeat Top-Tier Comets 2-0
Senior forward Andrew Roth drives the ball forward during a 2-0 win against Solon.
Shaker men’s soccer held the 5th ranked team in the greater Cleveland area to only three shots yesterday.
Shaker defeated a strong Solon Comets team 2-0, Aug. 30 at the high school.
Junior forward Asher Pollack said the team hopes to win their conference and the state championship.
“We need to focus on one game at a time. Win the next game and keep moving forward,” he said.
The Raiders started the game out strong, scoring four minutes into the game.
Senior midfielder Liam O’ Donnell passed to junior forward Asher Pollack, who scored the first goal of the game off the inside of the post.
Shaker controlled possession the first half with smooth passing and a pressure defense. Solon only managed three shots, and one hit the post 18 minutes into the game.
Shaker kept the pressure on the Comets, forcing goalkeeper John Lombardo, a Division I prospect, into making some big saves.
Near the end of the half, junior goalkeeper Gabe Whitlatch was also tested, diving to preserve Shaker’s lead on a long-range shot from the Comets.
During the second half, Shaker again scored quickly, this time on a corner kick that junior defender Ethan Adams poked into the net. The second half featured fewer shots, as both teams’ defense tightened.
The Raiders were ranked sixth in the greater Cleveland area in a coaches’ poll. Solon was ranked fifth.
Junior forward Malik Joseph said this victory was a huge morale boost for Shaker.
“I believe that our game against Solon proves that we are in the right shape to beat any team in our conference. We have lost to Solon for two straight years… and I think it was a huge confident boost for our team,” he said.
Junior midfielder Shane O’Neill said if Shaker focuses on playing together, they could advance well into the playoffs.
“I think we have the talent to do everything possible and if we really come together and work as a team we can beat anyone in the state,” he said.
Journalism I student Hannah Givens contributed reporting.
