By David Paulsen
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Defeating a team three times in one season sometimes can be very difficult.
The Burlington High School boys soccer team did that Tuesday night against Union Grove, but it was not easy.
“It was a very exciting game,” head coach Phil Molitor said of the 4-2 overtime win. “I knew it was going to be tough and it was.”
Union Grove, which has won just one game all season, has played Burlington tough in two earlier losses. In this game, the Broncos led the Demons until a penalty kick tied the game at 2-2 with 15 seconds to go in the game.
After a scoreless first half, Union Grove took a 2-0 lead early in the second half and it stayed that way until the 68th minute when Ervin Jimenez, off an assist from Robert Whitehead, scored to make it 2-1.
“We had so many scoring chances but couldn’t score to save our lives,” Molitor said.
Eric Aguirre got the tying goal on the penalty kick with 15 seconds in regulation.
Neither team scored in the first overtime, but Jimenez gave Burlington its first lead of the night 2-1/2 minutes into the second overtime, again off an assist from Whitehead.
With two minutes left in the second overtime, Mark Caringello got the final goal off an assist from Aguirre.
Molitor said Aguirre, Whitehead and Caringello played excellent.
“Those three were the key to my team and those three controlled the middle of the field most of the game,” he said.
A single goal about halfway through the first half was enough for the Burlington High School boys soccer team to pull out a 1-0 victory over Union Grove Sept. 20 at Union Grove.
Jimenez scored the unassisted goal on a breakaway to give the Demons a 1-0 lead at the half. The defense made it stand up the rest of the game.
“It was a pretty ugly game,” Molitor said. “It was hard to get anything going. Union Grove played well defensively.”
The win improved the Demon boys record to 5-10 overall and 3-4 in the Southern Lakes Conference.
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