Skip to main content

Chambersburg boys soccer falls in final minute to CV


play
Show Caption

It wouldn't be enough to call the Chambersburg boys soccer team's loss to Cumberland Valley a heartbreaker.

But Tuesday, after a 3-2 defeat, thanks to a CV goal in the final minute of play, the team was at a loss for words to better describe its fall to the Eagles. And with Mid Penn Commonwealth and district rankings implications, Senior Night, and a long-standing rivalry with Cumberland Valley on their minds, the Trojans felt the sting of the loss even more.

After trailing for nearly the entire second half, Chambersburg (9-4-2, 7-3-1 MPC) earned a penalty kick in the final three minutes of regulation. Nathan Maynard faked Cumberland Valley keeper Matt Zambetti left, and shot right for the equalizer, and seemed to give the Trojans the momentum they needed to finish off the final minutes strong.

But a breakdown on corner kick defense stopped all Chambersburg momentum with just 36 seconds left to play, when Cumberland Valley (12-4, 9-2 MPC) scored on a wonky corner play.

"The second half we did not play well," Chambersburg coach Corey Grove said. "We were fortunate to give ourselves a chance to tie it up at the end, and unfortunately we couldn't defend the last three minutes."

On back-to-back corner kicks, the Trojan defense could not control bounces in the crease, and finally let one slip by with just seconds remaining. Talon Davidson was credited with the game-winning goal.

"There's just so many bodies that anything can happen and that's what you want to do is put yourself in a spot where something can happen and be in the right place at the right time," Cumberland Valley coach Matt Billman said. "They were certainly riding momentum, but once we got it down in front of their net I felt that we were dangerous on the set plays; which normally that's where Chambersburg's dangerous."

"There was a lot of confusion," Chambersburg's Ryley Reed said. "I mean it's all corner kicks, we've had so many goals this year just off of the second ball in corner kicks. I mean, I don't know if its just unlucky or what; it was just heartbreaking."

Maynard scored in the 34th minute of the first half after dodging through three Cumberland Valley defenders and sailed a shot by Zambetti for the score.

"They're certainly a good team and they beat us at our place so we wanted to come out and put a better showing,"  Billman said. "We were really concerned where Maynard was the whole game. He torched us on that first goal and he scored on an unfortunate PK, but I'm proud of how after that we kept sticking to the game plan, which was dealing with what they were doing and trying to influence our attack."

For Chambersburg, momentum was a big factor as multiple stoppages and change of possession calls kept the Trojans from gaining an edge over Cumberland Valley, which had a solid defensive game.