Cyclones hit Portland in exciting soccer match
Published Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 12:02 p.m.
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Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Jackson Miller (12) of the Cyclones deflected a shot into the goal midway through the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders A penalty kick by Portland's Deacon Tuttle, 10, goes under a diving Tucker Taylor, 84, making the score 1-1 with just under 11 minutes left in the first half. caught up with the tie.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones' Connor Blevins, 9, battles for the ball with Portland's Brayden Rush, 22, down the sideline early in the second half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones' Connor Blevins (9) battles for the ball with Portland's Brayden Rush (22) on the sideline early in the second half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclones Thomas Lambert (8) attempts to pass an inbounds play to Will Churchill (11) early in the second half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones' Luke Whaley, 17, and Portland's Bryson Hill, 24, both went up for headers on long passes midway through the second half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The penalty kick by the Cyclones' Tyler Jenkins (4) was Elizabethton's only shot on goal in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Unfortunately, the ball went over the crossbar and the score remained 2-1 Panthers.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones' Jonathan Espinoza (1) and Portland's Bralynn Fitts (1) both try to control long passes late in the second half.
star correspondent
On Wednesday, the Elizabethton Cyclones soccer team entertained the Portland Panthers at Citizens Bank Stadium as they completed a three-game tour of East Tennessee. The Cyclones took the lead in the 19th game on a free kick by Tyler Jenkins.th With just a few minutes remaining, the Panthers fought back to take a 2-1 victory.
Jenkins' boot was the only direct shot on goal for EHS amid the defensive struggles, and the Cyclones held Portland to just four shots on goal. Play primarily took place in the center of the field, with neither team able to put consistent pressure on the opposing goaltender.
In the 30'sth In that minute, the Panthers tied the game with a free kick from 20 yards out, with senior Deacon Tuttle firing a low shot past Cyclones keeper Tucker Taylor.
The Cyclones showed a bit of frustration as they made a few long passes from midfield to open runners, but the pace of the passes was so fast that they couldn't find receivers to take shots on goal.
“We need to be more patient and work on ball movement,” Cyclones head coach Doug Schultz said. “In order to get more shots on goal, you need to get the ball into the last third of the field. We tend to be rushed. We move the ball well in the back end and midfield, Then I came out on top and was ready to go.”
Early in the second half, a defensive error allowed Panthers junior Brian Figueroa to steal the ball just outside the penalty area and fire a shot into the net, giving Portland a 2-1 advantage.
Figueroa scored 42nd point.n.d. EHS' last goal was in the closing stages when Drake Teague took a free kick from the 12-yard line and sent it over the crossbar.
The Cyclones had two good scoring opportunities on corner kicks in the second half, and Portland was able to block the shot right in front of goaltender Tristan Olsen.
“Our problem is that the majority of our goals so far have come from free kicks,” Schultz said. “What I noticed is maturity.”
citizen bank stadium
Portland 2-1
Portland 1 1 – 2
Elizabethton 1 0 – 1
Score overview
first half
E – Jenkins (unassisted) 19:00
P – Tuttle (no assistance) 30:00
Latter half
P – Figueroa (unaided) 42:00
