Stoughton High Boys’ Soccer Edges North Attleboro for First Win

North Attleboro controlled possession for most of the game, had more shots on net and had more corner kicks, but on Wednesday afternoon, the edged the Red Rocketeers where it mattered most—the scoreboard, earning a 2-1 win at home.

It was a year ago, this week, when Stoughton last won a game, improving to 2-1 to start the 2010 season. But, over the remaining 14 games of that season, Stoughton didn’t win again, going 0-11-3.

To start this season, Stoughton lost two heartbreaking road games, both by scores of 2-1, Monday at Foxboro and Tuesday night at Franklin, to run the winless streak to 16 games.

On Wednesday, Stoughton played its third game in three days and second in less than 24 hours, with a very tired team, but with a lot of heart, against a very strong North Attleboro squad.

At times it looked as if the field was tilted toward Stoughton’s senior goaltender and tri-captain Michael Vulakh. However, Stoughton hung on and took an exciting 2-1 victory, in their home opener, to end a year of winless frustration.

North Attleboro rifled 32 shots at Vulakh, 14 on net, and he saved all but one. Meanwhile, Stoughton sent only eight shots toward the North Attleboro goal and only two on net throughout the entire contest (both in the first half) and both went in.

The Red Rocketeers also had an incredible 15-0 advantage in corner kicks and hit the goalpost with five different shots.

Stoughton senior tri-captain and defender Zach Finer made a great save with ten minutes remaining in the game and Vulakh had a sensational diving stop in the final two minutes to preserve the victory.

“We were coming off a very frustrating loss, and we were tired. The calls and the breaks didn’t go our way, but even so, the right team usually comes up on top. In this game although we were outshot and the opponent pressured us, we showed a lot of heart and never quit,” third year Stoughton coach Matt Bernstein said.

“From senior down to freshman I expect everyone to contribute equally and everyone on the team did their job and worked as hard as they could.”

After early pressure by North Attleboro, Stoughton (1-2-0 overall and 0-1-0 in the Hockomock League Davenport Division) was finally able to move the ball downfield and scored eight minutes into the game.

Evan Schulze, a freshman, scored his second goal of the season. The North Attleboro goaltender couldn’t handle the loose ball and Finer got control of it, passed it to Schulze, who put it into the net.

North Attleboro (0-2-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the Hockomock League Kelley-Rex Division) would come right back with sustained offensive pressure and eight minutes later, tied the score. Junior forward Mike Manning scored with an assist from junior Ryan Kingsley.

The play would continue in the Stoughton end of the field, until Melvin Amado scored for the Black Knights, with 16 minutes left before halftime, to give the home team a 2-1 lead.

It was the Black Knights final shot on net as they would cling to the lead over the final 56 minutes to earn the long-awaited victory.

“This was a tough loss and it has been frustrating this season, but we know that we’re a good team and have experience and return a lot of players from last year’s team that qualified for the [postseason] tournament,” North Attleboro coach Geoff Burgess said.

“We’ll be fine and we’re happy with how we’ve been playing, but we just have to learn to finish off our opportunities.”

Stoughton will get a well-deserved day off, and then be right back in action at Oliver Ames on Friday afternoon, for a Davenport Division game, as the road doesn’t get any easier for Stoughton in the very competitive Hockomock League.

“Hopefully, this win will be the start of many more to come,” Bernstein said. “We just have to keep working hard and good things will happen. We have not qualified for postseason play since 2002 and we need to change that, this season.”