By Michael Letendre
BURLINGTON – In the opener for the Bristol Eastern boys soccer team on Thursday, it was just a 1-1 game with about ten minutes to go in the first half as the Lancers and Lewis Mills were engaged in a nip-and-tuck affair.
But Mills took the edge for good soon after as the Spartans racked up a 4-2 win from Nassahegan Field in Burlington in a CCC South, Patriot Division clash.
It was the first match of the season for both programs.
“We moved the ball well at times and got two nice goals, but defensively we had too many breakdowns,” said Eastern coach Bill Sweet.
Seniors Luke Bushka and Ryan Begert each tallied a goal for the winners while the sophomore duo of Charlie Joiner and Aleks Swider also notched goals to stave off the Eastern aggression.
The Lancers drew first blood as Ty Borry fed Dominik Femiak on the left side of the Lewis Mills net, scoring just 3:15 into the game.
But Mills responded at the 10:50 mark of the first half as Aleksander Swider hit a solid shot from the top of the Eastern goal area, into the near corner, to knot things up at 1-1.
Charlie Joiner gave Mills the lead for good with five minutes to play before halftime, scoring off a scramble in front of the Eastern net to make it a 2-1 game.
Leading by a goal, Mills opened the second half with a score when Shane Evans dropped in a shot to make it 3-1 just ninety seconds off the halftime restart.
The Lancers trimmed the deficit to 3-2 with 27 minutes remaining in regulation when Eddie Ansah took a Femiak pass and slipped the ball inside the near post.
And quickly, it was a one-goal contest against.
But soon after, the Spartans added an insurance tally as Swider hit a ball out of a crowd that fell into the back of the Eastern net – eventually propelling the home team to a 4-2 triumph.
Eastern keeper Carlos Portillo scooped in six saves as did Mills goalie Ryan Mayes.
Up Next for Eastern
Two matches are on the Lancers’ slate next week.
Eastern is home for Berlin on Monday at 6 p.m. as Berlin invades the turf of Alumni Field and then on Friday, the Lancers travels to Tunxis Meade Park in Farmington for a match against the River Hawks at 6 p.m.
CCC South, Patriot Division Boys Soccer
LEWIS MILLS 4, BRISTOL EASTERN 2
from Nassahegan Field, Burlington
Bristol Eastern (0-1) 1 1 – 2
Lewis Mills (1-0) 2 2 – 4
Goals: Bristol Eastern – Dominik Femiak, Eddie Ansah; Lewis Mills – Charlie Joiner, Aleks Swider, Luke Bushka, Ryan Begert.
Saves: Bristol Eastern – Carlos Portillo, 6; Lewis Mills – Ryan Mayes 6.
Records: Lewis Mills 1-0; Bristol Eastern 0-1.
