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Spirit blows past 552nd ACG 5-3

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Spirit lived up to its name April 27. In an intramural soccer playoff game against fourth-seed 552nd ACG, the fifth-seeded Spirit won 5-3.

It was an intense game with many shots on goal by each side, calls from the sidelines and a soccer ball that landed atop a neighboring building.

"We played better as a team and came together in the end," said Nick Ersteniuk of the Spirit.

After several unsuccessful shot attempts by both teams early in the game, Spirit's Hien Huynh succeeded in getting the ball past the 552nd ACG netminder. Kyle Phan kept the momentum on the Spirit side and scored a goal of his own to put his team up 2-0. But, ACG was far from giving up.

Immediately following Phan's goal, Lee Wilson of ACG scored, cutting Spirit's lead in half. Minutes later, Spirit regained the two-goal lead after Michael Tran scored the team's third goal.

ACG's Kyle Saxon had a free shot at the net and scored, bringing his team back to within one goal of Spirit.

Players from both teams tried riling each other up. They claimed hits, pushing and kicks to the face, but the game pressed on.

"It's like ping-pong," said ACG's Peter Housewright, describing the ball bouncing between the two teams. Seconds later, he yelled, "Go, go, go, gas it," to his teammates on the field.

Just before the halftime whistle, Spirit attempted one more goal. It was no good. At halftime, the score remained 3-2 Spirit.

Spirit wasted no time in the second half. On the second goal attempt Phan scored to put Spirit on top, 4-2.

The ACG team pressed on. Josh Diehl scored, to make the score 4-3 Spirit.

Just after the goal, Brandon Poturica of ACG was injured. He said an opponent stepped on his calf, behind the shin guard, and left the game for several minutes.

Despite his absence, both teams continued to vie for more points. Spirit was even granted a free kick, but it wasn't good. During another play, a Spirit team member kicked the ball high and it flew overhead, landing on the roof of a neighboring building. No time was lost. An ACG member grabbed a substitute ball and the game was back on. But, ACG's Saxon then stepped out to care for a leg cramp.

In his absence, Spirit attempted to score, but the referee called off sides. Minutes later, Spirit's Phan scored the team's fifth and final goal of the game.