East Lyme: the undefeated soccer champs of the ECC
Ledyard — It does not fall into the categories of “breaking news” or “stunning upset” that East Lyme would be playing for a conference soccer championship in this season or any season. It’s what the Vikings do. It’s what they’ve done for most of the nearly 40 years Paul Christensen has been coaching there.
It’s more the way the Vikings arrived in the finals Tuesday night at Bill Mignault Field. Figure that it’s hard enough to defend a Class L state championship. And then to do it losing 15 players. Nine starters. The Day Player of the Year. And then to have arrived undefeated.
Yes, that’s correct. The Vikings had to replace a small town of graduates, arrived undefeated — and left that way, too (16-0-2), adding another soccer banner into a crowded wall space. East Lyme defeated as the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I champion with a win over Woodstock that needed a second round of penalty kicks for an 8-7 result.
The teams played to a scoreless tie after 80 minutes of regulation and two rounds of overtime.
It wasn’t over until East Lyme goalkeeper Oliver Lopez denied Woodstock’s Shaun Mugagga on the final shot of the second round of penalty kicks. Woodstock’s Matt Hernandez had a chance to win it for his team in the first round, but launched one over the crossbar to extend the game.
“I was so relieved,” Lopez said.
He wasn’t alone.
“We outplayed them. You hate to go to PKs in a game when you outplay the other team,” Christensen said, “but give Woodstock credit. They changed their whole style. And their goalie (Eli Susi) was great.”
Susi made 12 saves, several of which came in traffic during the second half.
Maxx Montejano, Teagan Dunne (named the game’s Most Outstanding Player), Evan Mullarney and Callaway Scott converted for the Vikings during the first round of penalty kicks, before Tanner O’Brien, Garrison Biggs, Caleb Trost and Alex Rindell scored in the second round.
This was East Lyme’s second straight ECC Division I title. The Vikings edged Norwich Free Academy last season.
“Winning this is one thing, but to be undefeated is almost scary,” Christensen said. “We lost a lot. But it’s a tribute to these kids. I think they learned a lot last year and they’ve applied it this year. You’re almost like, ‘undefeated? How the heck did that happen?’”
m.dimauro@thday.com
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