Boys Soccer – Lacey Pulls Out Win Over Jackson Memorial

JACKSON TWP. - Less than two minutes into its game against Jackson Memorial Tuesday, the Lacey boys soccer team was trailing and staring a second-straight loss in the face after an six-game winning streak.

Instead, senior Robert Biele swooped in for the his 15th goal of the season later in the first half and - after a Jackson Memorial red card - assisted the game-winner by freshman Kip Byrne in the 68th minute to give the Lions a 2-1 win over the Jaguars.

Jackson Memorial played a man down for the final 32 minutes Tuesday after senior Joey Stoltenberg was issued a red card for a tackle from behind. The Lions finally took advantage of the extra man 20 minutes later, starting with Biele winning the ball on the left edge of the Jaguars' penalty box.

After getting back to his feet, Biele beat a defender toward the left endline and sent a diagonal cross on the ground to the opposite post. Byrne cut in front of a defender and one-timed a shot to the left side netting.

"We didn't have to change anything after the red card because they didn't change their formation at all," Biele said. "We just needed to keep working hard and if we did, we knew something good would eventually happen. That's a freshman who made a good run and did a great job finishing."

Jackson Memorial junior Mike Schoener scored 1:52 into the game, ripping a shot off the far right post an in after tracking down a long pass from senior Nick Schlageter. The goal was the first of six unanswered shots - four by Schoener - that Jackson Memorial earned, but it took just one Lacey shot to turn the game around.

Sophomore Kevin Miller played a long pass into the 18-yard box from the right flank and before Jackson Memorial goalkeeper Dylan Kanner could get his hands on the ball, Biele cut in front of him and flicked a header into the goal in the 24th minute.

"When I've been getting them, I've been putting them in this year, so the guys have been getting me the ball," Biele said.

Tuesday's win came one day after the Lions lost at Colts Neck, which snapped a six-game winning streak. Last season, Lacey defeated Toms River South and Colts Neck in consecutive games to cap a six-game unbeaten streak before running into a Jackson Memorial team that overwhelmed the Lions, 3-0. That loss began a slide that saw Lacey finish the season 3-8 over its final 11 games.

"This is a different team this year and I think we're a better team overall," Biele said. "Still, falling behind early after losing yesterday wasn't a good feeling. The good thing was we didn't put our heads down and we kept playing and I think beating a team like Jackson on their field after falling behind is a big boost for us."

Box Score

Lacey 2, Jackson Memorial 1

Goals (Assists): (L) Robert Biele (Kevin Miller) 24’, Kip Byrne (Robert Biele) 68’; (JM) Mike Schoener (Nick Schlageter)
Shots: Jackson Memorial, 12-6
Saves: (L) Bobby Considine 6; (JM) Dylan Kanner 1