FC Sonic ekes out 2-1 win over Erie

FROM THE MORNING CALL

With about two minutes left in a tie game Sunday afternoon, Jordie Ciuffetelli was targeted with a pass from FC Sonic teammate Cody Antonini but was not able to handle the ball about 20 yards in front of the goal, missing a chance to score a potential game-winner over the Erie Admirals.

But even though they are round, soccer balls sometimes take funny bounces.

Ciuffetelli, a Lehigh senior-to-be playing on his year-round home field of Ulrich Stadium, got another chance when the Erie defense was not able to corral the ball.

Ciuffetelli gathered the loose ball and pushed it past Admirals keeper Daniel Mudd for the deciding goal in a 2-1 win that kept FC Sonic alone in first place in the National Premier Soccer League's Northeast Keystone Conference.

"Cody had the ball. I called for it and he played it right to me," Ciuffetelli said. "I should have done better with it the first time. I thought the play was broken up. The ball ended up on a defender's feet. He played it back to the goal, but it wasn't strong enough. I was still on the play. I pounced on it and put it in."

"Jordie never wants to lose," FC Sonic coach Dave Weitzman said. "He put it on his shoulders and said, 'I want to win this game.' He made a 65-70 yard run. He took a horrible touch, initially, but the keeper couldn't handle it and he got it back on his feet. That kid [Ciuffetelli] is a competitor."

FC Sonic, which won the Keystone Conference last year and reached the NPSL's national semifinals, is in position to make another run. Weitzman's team (7-1-1), comprised of local college players and recent high school graduates, leads the conference with 22 points with four games left — against the Pocono Snow (July 1), the AC Crusaders (July 9), the Buxmont Torch (July 13) and Reading (July 16).

Reading (6-2-1, 19 points) and Erie (5-1-1, 16 points) follow FC Sonic in the eight-team conference.

Weitzman said he was impressed with his team's physical toughness. Sonic hosted FC Buffalo less than 48 hours before Sunday's game.

"We played Buffalo on Friday night," Weitzman said. "Our guys were really tired. They didn't have legs, and it started to get more humid as the game went on. I was telling them at halftime they had to persevere and play like champions. I can't say enough for the way the boys compete so hard. It's a great bunch of guys to work with."

Despite having a lead with a minute of regulation plus about four minutes of stoppage time, it wasn't easy. The Admirals had three very good shots on goal after Ciuffetelli's goal.

Keeper Charlie Sales stopped point-blank shots from Afrim Latifi and Shane Howard, but the biggest save might have come from back Justin Kamine, a Patriot League all-league selection from Lafayette who joined FC Sonic less than a month ago.

Sales pushed up and called for the ball on a wild play in front of the goal, but Kamine, doing what every defender is taught, slid back to the goal line — just in time to deflect another Howard shot.

Howard received a red card on the play, and a few seconds later, stoppage time ended.

"I heard the goalie call 'keeper,' " Kamine said. "My first reaction is, if you don't have a man, to cover the goal. It's an instinct play. When the keeper calls it, you go cover the goal."

Sonic had to do a lot of that over the course of the second half. Erie dominated play in front of goal in the second half, but only scored once, on Oliver Gage's goal with 12:20 left.

FC Sonic led 1-0 at the half on Joe Puleo's goal with seconds left in the first half.

Sonic and Erie are developing a rivalry. Each of their four games the last two years have been decided by a goal in the last five minutes.

Weitzman said his decision to play a defensive game with taller defenders — Kamine, Ciuffetelli, former Freedom High star Collin Costello (now at Bucknell), AJ Barnold (Muhlenberg), Kyle Schwab (Freedom High, Dickinson), Nate Squire (Muhlenberg) — was based partly on realizing his team was a little tired, and partly on matching up with Erie's style.

"They play a very direct style in which they ping balls down the field," he said. "We wanted to make sure we had as much size in the back of the field and let them take the ball wide. ... I have a lot of confidence in the players. They all come from very good college programs. We know we have the talent. It's like coaching an all-star team. The players make the coach. They made me look good."

Erie 0 1 -- 1

FC Sonic 1 1 -- 2

Erie goal: Oliver Gage. Assist: Jared Ott. Shots: 7. Corner kicks: 6. Saves: Daniel Mudd 3.

FC Sonic goals: Joe Puleo, Jordie Ciuffetelli. Assist: Cody Antonini. Shots: 5. Corner kicks: 5. Saves: Charlie Sales 6.