By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A pair of state-ranked sides met looking to stay unbeaten.
Wednesday night’s non-league matchup at Aquinas lived up to billing.
Alfonso Vito connected in the second overtime, and host Aquinas (No. 4 NYSSWA Class A) outlasted Livonia (No. 2 NYSSWA Class B), 2-1.
“It feels good,” Vito said. “The crowd was probably the loudest we’ve had. It was great to be in the atmosphere and especially to score.”
The senior forward ran on to a lead from teammate Ali Shabani along the left flank and went opposite side netting for the game winner with 6:06 left in the stanza.
“It was a great team buildup,” Vito said. “The team just did great to get the ball out of our own half and get it back up the field. I knew Ali was going to pass it to me.”
The goal was the 15th this season for Vito.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JOE TERRITO HERE.
“I knew it as soon as I turned, Alfonso didn’t have to call my name,” Shabani said. “I just knew he was on and it was going to work. It was great.”
GOLDEN! Alfonso Vito ends it in the second overtime. Assist to Ali Shabani. pic.twitter.com/zkPINV5elg
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 5, 2023
Shabani scored with six seconds remaining in the first half to pull Aquinas level. It was the second time this week the Li’l Irish erased a deficit at or near halftime.
“We had opportunities, but we really weren’t capitalizing on them,” Aquinas head coach Josh Gleason said. “Ali got some good things happening for us. You go into halftime 1-1. You get to hit a reset button. The other night against Mendon, you’re not hitting a reset button. You’re chasing the game. Today, we weren’t really chasing the game once it was tied.”
Shabani scored twice in the 4-1 win over Mendon on Monday.
“When it’s your time to shine, that’s when you’re going to go get it,” Shabani said echoing the words of coach. “In the first half, we were being pressured heavy, but I knew we would get our chance.”
Shabani leads Aquinas with 17 assists.
Carter Wegman played a diagonal service from the left side near midfield that Shabani one-timed from just inside the 18-yard box.
“The key was giving up a goal with six seconds left in the half,” Livonia head coach Ray Maxwell said. “Against a team like that, you can’t do that.”
Austin Francis gave Livonia the early lead. Teammate Connor Feehan controlled possession and made a run along the middle third. Feehan beat a defender and drew another before laying off a pass to Francis who tucked a shot under the bar with his second touch.
“When we scored early, we kinda shook them up a little bit,” Maxwell said. “It was disappointing in the end that we couldn’t hold on.”
21’ Connor Feehan takes possession in the middle third and feeds Austin Francis for a 1-nil @AthleticsLCS pic.twitter.com/QXHYC2ewL8
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 4, 2023
Aquinas came out in the second half and had two shots within the first four minutes. The Li’l Irish finished with a 14-2 advantage in shots on goal from the start of the second half until the match’s conclusion.
“I thought Livonia played super-tough,” Gleason said. “You can see why they were undefeated coming into the game. We knew they were going to want to win. Ray is a phenomenal coach. He’s had several undefeated teams. He had his kids ready. Scoring early helped them a lot. They had our backs against the wall, for sure.
“Today the difference was Ali getting one before the first half ended. I don’t know if we would have gotten one. I don’t know if we could have found a way.”
“I was proud of the way that the boys played,” Maxwell said. “It will serve us well. We have two tough divisional games next week. (Hornell and Haverling). This will help us prepare for that.”
Aquinas (12-0-1) hosts Bishop Kearney/Chesterton on Friday and Clarence (No. 14 NYSSWA Class AA) of Section VI on Saturday.
Livonia (13-1-0) hosts Haverling next Tuesday.
Both Gleason and Maxwell were issued red cards. Neither received those match disqualifications due to an accumulation.
*Article has been updated with the correct assist on the Ali Shabani goal.
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