Capers tie X-Men in AUS soccer action

By Corey LeBlanc

SYDNEY – The U SPORTS second-ranked Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (5-0-2) and the STFX X-Men (5-1-1) played to a 1-1 tie in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) soccer action on Monday afternoon at Ness Timmons Field.

The battle of top teams in the conference – originally scheduled for Oct. 6 – had to be rescheduled due to a lighting issue on the CBU campus pitch named in honour of the long-time head coach of the Caper women's soccer program.

In a hard-fought and physical first half, the lone marker came on an own goal in the 23^rd minute that gave the Capers a 1-0 advantage.

On the scoring play, senior defender Lewis Dye (Fall River, NS) soared for a header in his team's box, one that he seemed to direct toward his goalkeeper Samuel Diltz (Newmarket, ON), but it sailed by him before taking a couple of bounces and crossing the X-Men goal line. 

The initial scoring chance for either side came in the fourth minute when Logan Rieck (Cambridge, ON) tested Caper goalkeeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, England), who dove to his right to make the stop.

The first quality opportunity for CBU came off the foot of Cian Lynch (Dublin, Ireland), who ripped a hard strike, but Diltz gobbled up the ball.

Striker Kairo Coore (Whitby, ON) also got loose for a shot on Diltz, who had to be sharp to maintain what – at the time – was a scoreless tie.

Kyle Cordeiro (Oakville, ON), who was a presence in the midfield throughout the first half, wrestled free for an attempt on Clarke, while – a few minutes later – freshman X-Men forward Samuel Barrowcliffe (Princeton, ON) attempted to squeeze a strike inside the near goal post, but the CBU keeper responded with another top-notch save.

The Capers outshot the X-Men 4-3 in the first half. 

Early in the second half – in the 51^st minute – the White and Blue notched the equalizer; Rieck niftily volleyed a cross from Cameron Shaw (Ottawa, ON) under the cross bar behind Clarke to make it 1-1.

Lynch of the Capers had the first chance to break the deadlock, but he could not beat Diltz with a short side shot.

On the second of consecutive corner kicks, Jakub Parizek (Ceske Budejovice, Czechia) picked up a loose ball, but he rang his shot – from close quarters – off the goal post.

Later in the second stanza, the X-Men also thwarted dangerous scoring chances for Coore and Lynch.

In stoppage time, both sides had opportunities to score the game-winner, including Benjamin Fortuin (Maidenhead, England), who sailed a strike from the top of the box over the cross bar.

Moments later, the X-Men raced in two-on-one, but a fatigued Rieck could only muster up a weak shot that Clarke corralled.

Clarke made four saves for the Capers, while Diltz turned aside five shots.

The holiday tilt was the first of a home-and-home series between the perennial rivals, with the rematch scheduled for Friday, Oct. 14 in Antigonish.

Kick-off is set for 7:15 p.m. – under the lights – at STFX Stadium. 

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