Calhoun avenges loss to East Meadow

Calhoun redeemed its early season loss to East Meadow, taking down the visiting Jets 4-2, in a Nassau Conference AA-II boys’ soccer game Oct. 13. Colts senior Angelo DiMatteo tallied two goals late in the second half to secure the win. 

Both teams came out of the gate aggressively pushing the flanks of the other’s defense.  Calhoun finally broke through East Meadow’s defense with constant pressure from DiMatteo. The forward launched a ball into the air finding Dylan Delloiacono who headed it in for the 1-0 lead. Jets’ sophomore Danny Espinoza continued to pressure down the right side of the field but wasn’t able to find the back of the net in the first half.

The second half got under way with much of the same back and forth as the first — that was until Calhoun’s Justin Bergman was taken down inside East Meadow’s box. Bergman easily placed the penalty kick behind goalie Rui Cunha and the Colts pushed their lead to 2-0. 

East Meadow coach Kevin Regan moved Alex Melnyczuk from the back four to a striker position to try to launch his team’s offensive drive. The move seemed to work as Melnyczuk consistently pressured the Colts defense and grabbed the team’s first goal of the day to bring the score to 2-1. 

“We needed a little bit more push in the attacking third,” Regan said. “Alex provided that energy.” 

Melnyczuk’s goal seemed to deflate Calhoun (5-4-2) temporarily but the hosts were able to rally and get back to pressuring down the field. A misstep from East Meadow’s defense gave DiMatteo the chance he needed to break through the back four and take the ball to the net himself. DiMatteo danced behind the Jet’s defense and brought the score to 3-1. The goal was just what the team needed to regain its confidence, coach James Cantley said. “We gained our composure and once we put another goal in I think the tide turned back,” he said.