Above: David Nettemeyer heads the ball into the net, tying the game at 1-1 with just over 8 minutes to play.

Nettemeyer Strikes Again, but Warriors can't hold off Mitty. 1/19

For a soccer player to have 4 goals in 5 games is far from weird.  For the player to have never scored before this season will raise some eyebrows.  For that player to be a defender is just plain unheard of.  Senior defender, David Nettemeyer is that player.  In his past 5 games, he has found the net 4 times.  His 4 league goals put him only behind Jeff Coggan for the team lead.

Today was a battle.  An extremely tough defending CCS Champion Mitty team that beat Bellarmine and had three players returning from injury, was looking to crush VC. 

The game started off well, with VC trading opportunities with Mitty. The referee seemed to have a little trouble finding his rhythm as he handed out 5 first half yellow cards.  The game was rough, but not that rough. Yellow cards are one thing, but giving away goals is a tough thing to accept.

In the 21st minute, Mitty's defender dribbled up the field and into the VC box.  As he went to hit a left-footed shot, he missed the ball and fell.  The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.  The Mitty player barely beat Ben Hansen to his left and the game had it's first goal, albeit a cheesy one. 1-0 Mitty.

The Warriors would not give in, having chance after chance just miss.  At halftime the team was chomping at the bit to get back out there.  The momentum was in VC's favor and they had an uphill climb. 

Mitty came out strong as ever, but VC matched their intensity.  The game would stay 1-0 until the 72nd minute when VC won a free kick at the midfield stripe.  Ben Hansen came up to take the kick and lofted a perfect, 60 yard pass that David Nettemeyer won.  The initial shot hit the cross bar, but Nettemeyer fearlessly lunged at the ball heading it in. 1-1 with 8 minutes to play. 

The Warriors would not be satisfied.  In the last 8 minutes both Joey Stryker and Jeff Coggan had sizzling shots go just wide. The chances were there for the victory.  With just over a minute left in regulation, bad fortune reared it's ugly head.

A foul at the top of the box left the Warriors scrambling to assemble a 5-man wall.  Mitty's Corey Bowman hit a great free-kick to the left of the wall that somehow weaved it's way through traffic and into the net, past a diving Ben Hansen. 2-1 Mitty.

The game would end that way.  An absolute thriller of a game to watch. Afterwards, the coaches had this to say.

"I love our kids man.  They gave everything they had. We came out like we had nothing to lose and we should've won that game!" Aleks Vranicic said afterwards.

Assistant coach John Basanese concluded with this. "It's a tough game.  I feel like we were cheated a little bit, but that's soccer.  Amazingly the kids didn't let it get to them.  We were the better team today, I honestly believe that.  That's saying a lot because I have great respect for that Mitty team, they are an incredible side... We've got our work cut out and we know it.  I'll take these kids into battle with me any day.  Nettemeyer has so much heart, it makes me very proud."

As Basanese said, there is much to be done still.  The Warriors travel to USF to play Sacred Heart Cathedral on Saturday. The Irish are a great team, despite their record, who's given the VC varsity fits in the past. 

"We have a lot of respect for the coaching staff at SHC, we know they'll be ready!" Basanese added.

If you can't make it out to the game, check back at the website for updates.

Special Thanks to John Basanese Sr. for taking pictures at the game.  He drives all the way from Hollister to do this, and it's really appreciated!  Tons of pictures from today's game are right here!

vcsoccer.com man of the match: David Nettemeyer

VC Starting Lineup: Hansen, Garrison, McLaughlin, Mark, Nettemeyer, Field, Keeling, Coggan, Osuna, Goldsmith, Stryker

Weather: Perfectly sunny 62 degrees

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