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Med Group routs Spirit in soccer quarterfinals

  • Published
  • By John Stuart
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  If you just looked at the first half score it would seem that it was a close match Monday night at the intramural soccer quarterfinals. But unfortunately for Spirit, the 72nd Medical Group team had other plans for how the second period would go. And how. They claimed the game handily 7-2 May 3 and advanced to the semi-finals May 5 with the standout win.

It was just 2-1 at the half in Med Group's favor, boosted by a sniper-attack goal from Mike McCabe, who shot it from outside the 18-yard line late in the period.

"I really wasn't trying to do that," McCabe later confided to the team. Bonus points for honesty, although the team certainly wasn't put out to have an extra goal on the board.

But with a modified attack, Med Group spread their forwards out in the second and took the incoming goalie bombs downfield from keeper Tony Salafia. It was a game of dump and chase and the scheme change saw five goals make it in the net for Med Group in the second.

Jeremi Isaacs put one past the Spirit keeper at minute three of the second. Chris Lyes, who hit the back of the net at minute nine, followed up Isaacs.

Then, at minute 16, Lyes and Isaacs put together a one-two punch that quickly eclipsed McCabe's sniper shot goal in the first half. Lyes booted a perfect pass over the middle from the right side of the goal and Isaacs made good on it with a jumping header for the goal. It was equal parts finesse and execution and Med Group went up 5-1.

At minute 27 Spirit notched their last goal for the night, on a penalty kick (both goals scored were from penalty kicks) from Kyle Phan, who scored both goals on the night.

Mario Seville scored goal No. 6 for Med Group at minute 33 and lastly it was Salvador "Cholo" Gruny Jr. who booted in a left-footer across the middle to etch the final score at 7-2. The ball pinged off the right goal post and ricocheted in for the win.

Med Group played Navy Wednesday and the winner of that game will play the winner of the loser's bracket on May 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the league championship.