APRIL 27, 2000

A decent Thursday afternoon during the Easter break with a pretty good crowd on hand at the Bayshore field. The number 4 team was ready and up for this game and played with skill and intensity throughout the contest.  Bayshore scored first for the early lead on change of possession that caught the Pats napping. Ian Applegate (1a) then found Jon Matsui (2g,2a) who fires home to tie at one. Bayshore hustled again and tallied number 2 for their second and final lead of the game. Nick Miaritis (1g,2a) moving outside then finds Drew Casino (3g) who one time it for the  Pats second goal to finish the 1st tied at two each. Matt Monfett (4g,1a) then recovers his lost possession and fights his way to the goal to put Melville up for good. Matt then finds Jon Matsui in position who buries the rock to go up 4-2. Another hard drive for 'Mo for goal 5. Matsui then finds Miaritis who, in one step, opens up a left hander in traffic for number 6. Melville went on to a 6-3 halftime lead while dealing with many stoppages of play. Our defense played very well despite the difficult circumstances. Once again the close D trio of Chris P, Ryan K, and Nick B held down their opponents opportunities.  

Melville was on a break early in the second which ended with Nick M on the crease with two defensemen on him, dropping him to the ground with their bodies on top, from the back...no call. Shortly after, he is then called on a penalty himself. Chris P in a relentless series of checks, knocks the ball loose on the man-down, Ryan K scoops and finds Shane Ferraro who is called for warding while streaking downfield at a point of contact with a defenseman. Bayshore then worked hard and came up with the first goal of the third on the change of possession to cut the margin to 2 at 6-4. Melville answered quickly with Drew Casino, taking no chances on a penalty, winning the faceoff and driving down, not touching anyone, and blisters a shot past the Bayshore keeper for goal 7. After some unsettled play Nick M traveling high outside the box on a retrieval of a ground ball, finds Todd Cunningham (1g,1a) with a bullet pass who wheels and deals dead on to close the quarter with an 8-4 lead. Melville seemed a little out of rhythm most of the time and acted like they were in no hurry to score goals. (Bayshore's goalie made some outstanding saves as well, forcing the Pats to work harder than they wanted to).

Bayshore again found the net first in the last period for their final goal of the game on a nice offensive series...not willing to concede anything...and they would play hard to the very end. The Pats then sharpened up a bit and sent 4 more into the net while giving up one for a 12-5 final score. Matty Mo' got #9&10 on hard drives in traffic that punctuated outside shots from middies that were saved or ever so slightly off the mark. Matsui found Shane Ferraro for a beautiful left hand finish for number 11; while Todd C feeds Drew on a close angle fireball to the upper corner to complete his second hat-trick in as many games. 

This game was most unusual for the flags and whistles that we have not seen or heard this season. Unfortunately for the game, a great many possessions were not decided by the players. The Pats man-down unit was able to stifle most of Bayshore's opportunities despite their frequency and length. 

The Patriots are in action again on Saturday evening at 6pm at Sachem High School for a double header featuring traditional Nassau power Baldwin vs Melville to be followed by Sachem vs Farmingdale at 8pm.

Please be there to support your Patriots 2000!

Go Patriots!