Varsity Men’s Soccer Levels With Cedar Ridge Raiders

Sabrina Kim, Heritage Co-Chief| February 25, 2023

  • With opponent defenders on his heels, midfielder Nikhil Modak ’24 dribbles the ball down the field. A strong presence in the midfield ensured the Warriors’ dominance for much of the game.

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  • Along the sideline, defender Ishaan Saini ’26 dodges Cedar Ridge attackers to maintain possession of the ball. Saini utilized quick thinking and quick feet during the match to protect the ball and continuously drive it further up the field.

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  • With his arm on his mark, forward Pol Marza ’23 moves to regain the ball from an opponent. In individual matchups, focus and swiftness are two of the most important aspects – both of which Marza employs in his attack.

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The varsity men’s soccer team played a long, physical game against the Cedar Ridge Raiders on Tuesday, Feb. 21, ultimately resulting in a 1-1 tie.

The away team received kickoff, but the momentum quickly swung towards the Warriors, who played primarily in the attacking third for the first half. Twenty minutes in, the Warriors launched a promising shot on goal that bounced off the crossbar. Ten minutes later, their opponents responded with a shot that deflected on the upper right corner. 

With ten minutes left until halftime, the Warriors managed to dribble a ball to the goal line, but no point was awarded – inciting a roar from the home crowd and plentiful rebukes from supporters and sidelined players alike. Soon after, however, a foul was called on the Raiders, granting the home team a free kick just outside the penalty box. With this opportunity, forward Rahul Kuthiala ‘25 landed a goal into the back of the net just before the end of the half.

At the top of the second half, Cedar Ridge burst onto the field with seemingly renewed energy, challenging the Warriors’ defense with a series of offensives, shots on goal, and an abundance of free kicks. With 16 minutes left on the clock, keeper Owen Plug ‘24 made a diving save to the left goalpost, and received an eruption of cheers from the stands. The offensive drives continued, though, ultimately leading to a confrontation at the Westwood goal and, in a matter of seconds, a goal for the Raiders.

For the majority of the half, the away team maintained the possession and momentum of the game as the Warriors failed to find footing with their set pieces. However, in the last few minutes of the match, both teams increased their energy and aggression. The play became frenzied and hectic as each player struggled to break out of the stalemate – both, in the end, failing. The game came to a close at 1-1.

“The game was pretty tough,” Neel Kakkad ‘24 said. “We need to work harder and more as a team and we should be able to bounce back on Friday.”

The varsity players will take on the McNeil Mavericks away on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m.