It’s not often that you see a team jump for joy over a regular-season draw, but that was the reaction of the New Providence Pioneers after holding the WHS Boys Varsity Soccer team to a 0-0 deadlock. Tensions were high throughout the game, with both teams getting more intense as the clock ran out.
Both teams struggled to get the ball into the net, despite the number of shots taken. Senior goalie Simon Gunzberg said, “We had a lot of chances and hit the crossbar multiple times, but were unable to get past their keeper, and it was a similar situation on my end.”
New Providence head coach Chris Calveley said, “The intensity we played with today was our game plan and we managed to keep it up for the whole game.”
The first half was frustrating for the Westfield side, as they struggled to connect passes and maintain possession. New Providence capitalized on Westfield’s mistakes, getting to balls quicker and taking advantage of Westfield’s frustration.
With two minutes remaining in the second half, Gunzberg collided with a player from New Providence, ending with both players on the ground. There was no foul, and the ball stayed in play, resulting in a second collision that caused a New Providence player to break his collarbone.
The physicality of the game progressed as fans on both sides got visibly frustrated with the officiating. However, in the second half, Westfield gained momentum and started maintaining possession, even getting some shots off on the New Providence keeper.
“If we don’t put the ball in the net, we’re not going to find the goal to win. If we want to improve going forward, that’s what we’ve got to fix,” said senior Lucas Grygiel.
Both goalkeepers held their defenses together on both sides as the respective offenses fought for a goal. “The goalkeeper plays really well on their side,” said Westfield head coach Eric Shaw. “We just have to find ways to bury the first one, or more importantly maybe, the second one.”
Calvaley was proud of his team’s performance and the level of competition they demonstrated, despite playing a team who is second in their respective division. “Matching Westfield’s quality and intensity was what we needed today, and I think we did that really well,” Calvaley said. “Our tactic was to be more offensive, and I think it was a very even game; it wasn’t just a defensive performance.”
Grygiel commended his team’s determination throughout the New Providence game and their success this season thus far. “The effort was even greater than we’ve had in past wins,” he said. “It’s looking good.”
Westfield will play their third game of the week at Monroe Township High School on Saturday at 12 p.m., and they will be looking for a win.
