By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For the first 40 minutes of action on Thursday night, the Greece Arcadia boys’ soccer team didn’t manage a single shot on frame. A halftime adjustment changed that, and when presented with his chance, Aidan Byrnes took advantage.
Byrnes converted on a corner kick in the 70th minute, and host Arcadia defeated Brockport, 1-0 in Monroe County Division III action.
“They always send me up because I’m tall, and I can get a head on it,” the senior back said. “I just throw myself at the ball and see what happens.”
The corner kick was the third in a span of 10 minutes for the Titans. Ethan Cesario played a service from the left flag.
“The momentum, it just kinda built up after every corner kick we got,” Byrnes said.
The goal was the third of the season for Byrnes who headed the cross from just outside the 6 amid a pair of Brockport defenders.
“Aidan is one of our best kids in the air,” said Matt Vergamini who is in his 20th season as head coach of Arcadia. “He really does a nice job of attacking the ball and obviously did that on that goal.
“We talked about the team we are this year. We have to look to capitalize on set pieces. We’ve worked on that a lot.”
70’ Third corner kick opportunity on the half pays dividends. Aidan Byrnes climbs the ladder to give @SoccerArcadia a 1-nil lead. Ethan Cesario gets the assist. pic.twitter.com/hXzOjFS9m5
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 29, 2023
Arcadia finished with six shots on goal in the second half after barely sending more than one ball in the direction of Brockport keeper Robert Crissman in the first half.
“We talked at the half that we weren’t looking to possess at all, and we were just playing forward and panicking, not being composed on the ball,” Vergamini said. “We did make a formation change. We wanted to pack the middle and win some more balls. Hopefully from there get more guys on the ball and give us a numerical advantage in the middle. They created some chances out of that.”
The win was the third in the past four games for Arcadia (4-5-0). The Titans took a 2-1 decision at Brockport earlier in the month.
“They’re a tough team.,” Vergamini said. “They battle They’ve got some solid players out there who win balls. We just didn’t want to battle with them in the first half.”
After back-to-back corner kicks for @SoccerArcadia Robert Crissman makes his third save of the second half. pic.twitter.com/uumNyeGpKE
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 29, 2023
Despite the momentum that Arcadia built through the first 20 minutes of the second stanza, it was Brockport that nearly struck first. Isaiah Markel sent a rocket from 25 yards out that caught the underside of the crossbar and caromed out.
“Arcadia plays great defense,” Brockport head coach Jeff Phillips said. “We talked about where they’re dangerous. They’re most dangerous on the set pieces, corner kicks, and that was the difference. They got Canandaigua on a corner kick the other day as well.”
Kasey Conrow save for @SoccerArcadia pic.twitter.com/SxJXugCJTB
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 29, 2023
Brockport dropped to 6-4-1 on the season. After going unbeaten in six of seven to start the season, including five wins, the Blue Devils have dropped three of four – two of those by one goal. They have split six games decided by the narrowest of margins.
“Our league is brutal,” Phillips said. “Most games are one-goal games. We’ve had some success with one-goal wins, but we came up short a couple times the last couple games. We’re still an extremely young team. We have a freshman on the field almost the whole time, two or three sophomores. They battle. I love how these guys work.”
Arcadia’s Kasey Conrow made four saves for the shutout – the junior keeper’s second straight clean sheet and third of the season.
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