Crusaders Continue Perfect Season in Playoffs

It started with a single goal in the first quarter, and ended with a pair of goals from Max Saffle on his 7-point evening.  Eastside Catholic led from start to finish, advancing to the next round of playoffs, after defeating the other Olympic conference team, in Stadium, handily.

After six minutes of back and forth, energetic play, Eastside Catholic finally broke Stadium’s defensive wall at 6:21 when an alley dodge and bounce shot by Max Saffle went bottom left.  Saffle assisted Carlton just one minute later to give EC a 2 goal lead.  Stadium scored with Lineweaver’s solo effort at 4:28, 2-1, but that would be the closest the score would be, for the rest of the game.  David Carlton scored again, this time unassisted on a transition clear under four minutes in the first quarter, and a broken clear results in an attackman Will Decker coming up with the ball, assisting Saffle’s second of the night. Making the score 4-1 with 2 minutes remaining.  Eastside struggled during the first quarter, losing the draw to Martin Park in the first, though ending up with possession afterwards.  On the ensuing draw, the Crusaders’ Decker-Saffle connection repeats at the cage to end the first quarter in favor of Eastside Catholic with a 5-1 lead.

The second quarter, was dominated by Eastside Catholic, and proved to be the biggest of the four for the Crusaders.  Off the first break, Eastside Catholic‘s Kyle Decker fires a cannon from near restraining line to score number 6 at 11:42.
Michael Rambaldini gets in a scrum on the crease, and pops in a dribbler lurking in front on a re-shot.  EC leads 7-1. Creswell hits Saffle, for his fourth of the game, and the team's 8th.  Another failed clear for Stadium results in a lefty heater top shelf, and EC extends their lead to 9-1.  Stadium draws two penalties, and looks to take advantage of the EMO.  EC earns another penalty, putting Hughes in a 3-man down situation. On the first shot, he beats Stadium to the end line, and changes possession, holding off Stadium’s advantage on hustle typifying the game thus far. The Crusaders add another at 2:10 remaining as Decker receives a clearing pass from a strip, and sweeps for another lefty side arm crank, scoring number 11 with two seconds remaining.  Stadium completely unable to generate offense, had no shots in the second half, Catholic dominated possession, and ground balls.

Stadium strikes first in the second half, as Park and Lineweaver work together, for Lineweaver's second goal of the game.  Stadium shuts down clearing for EC, and owns the first five minutes of the third. Though Stadium threatened the rest of the quarter, they could not capitalize on a listless Crusader defense.

Stadium also started the scoring first in the final period of play, as Chaffey completes a stadium clear on the doorstep.  Down 11-3, the momentum has shifted to Stadium in the fourth.  Throughout the quarter, the ground ball battle was won by EC by both hustle and convention.  One-handed ground balls that are contested, missed passes, and side-arm shots marked the difference between the two clubs.  As icing on the cake, the game ended the way it started- courtesy of Max Saffle.  Scoring another two more, Saffle put his total to 6g1a, and a closeout score of 13-3.  The Crusaders advance to take on Redmond's Mustangs next week, to decide who will play on May 30th.

Players of the game
Max Saffle 7g1a EC
Decker 3g2a EC
Hughes 13 saves EC