NCS Rallies Late to Spoil Home Opener in Soccer, 4-2

Lillie Weber, center, celebrates the Cardinals' first goal of the season.

For 50 minutes,number 6 Bishop Ireton looked in control of Wednesday’s soccer home opener against the 9th ranked National Cathedral School. The final 30 minutes seemed to spin out of control for the home team and senior Marta Sniezek carried the visiting Eagles to a come-from-behind 4-2 win at Witter Field.

The home team grabbed an early 1-0 advantage with Lillie Webber’s first goal of the year in the game’s ninth minute. Sniezek tied the game 9 minutes later during a momentary defensive lapse on one of the few times NCS ventured deep into the Ireton side of the field in the game’s opening half.

The Cardinals regained control of the game and dominated ball possession and went to intermission with a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal. That control would soon slip from the home team’s grasp and they couldn’t regain it.

Ireton keeper, Amy Krotine was tested twice early in the game’s second half but was equal to the challenge on both shots. Freshman Grace Sklopan scored her first high school goal 57 minutes into the contest, giving the Cardinals the lead once again at 2-1.

Five minutes later, the Eagles got the equalizer when Emily Guinee took an Emma Boyd pass and blasted a shot from inside the box. Sniezek then seemingly took over the game with her second and third goals of the game to seal the Cardinals fate in the 66th and 71 minutes of the game.

“We were playing our first game situation, so we tried different combinations of players and worked on some different things.” said the Cardinals’ skipper, Gino Leon. “We are disappointed, we had a number of chances to score, but we learned some things, we will figure it and move forward.”

The Cardinals (0-1) now head to Owings Mills, Maryland, to face Bethesda-Chevy Chase in a Friday match up of Mid Atlantic soccer programs. Saturday morning they will conclude the two-day visit to McDonogh School with a contest with Liberty High School. Friday action begins at 6pm.