St. Louis 3 St. Thomas Aquinas 2

[truman]

The game was incredible. All five goals were scored in the second half. This game should have been the championship.

[Big Daddy]

Really good game.

0 - 0 at the half. The first half was played nearly even. I feel that STL had a few more shots and a bit more possession during the first half. Overall a well played ho hum first half.

STL substituted more players during the entire game, (even Lapira) with probably 16 - 18 players getting quality time on the field. I don't think STA went more than 13 - 14 deep. I think it showed up in the second half until STA got down and started getting frantic.

The second half started with STL taking charge. 2 goals within the first 5 mins of the 2nd half. The first goal came with 37 mins in the half, when Lapira lost the ball at the top of the 18 and came back to knock it away from the defender right to Thevenot, who nailed the shot into the back of the net. The second STL goal came with 35 mins left off a Lapira shot that the keeper did not handle and knocked the ball to Duplichan, who promptly slid the ball into the corner of the goal.

With about 20 mins left STA was able to get a through ball behind the sweeper and had a 2 on 1 against the STL keeper (Chol), they only needed 1 guy as he was able to put it in. This goal seemed to wake up STA, who really turned it up a notch for a bit. Lapira stepped up and calmed them when he started to take over. Joseph had numerous runs and several shots and with about 12 mins left he finally put one in the back of the net. Just before STL had one taken away as the STA keeper bobbled another shot from Lapira and it got put in, however this goal was disallowed for some reason (I was at the far end of the field and it was hard to tell why). Regardless Joseph did put them up 3-1 at about the 12 min mark. STA did put in another with the clock already at 2 mins to make the score closer.

All in all this was a great game of soccer, played on a great sunshine filled day, at really great facilities.

It just don't get no better than that. ;D

[You]

The game was amazing. Both teams giving everything they had. It was all heart, especially on STA's side. Today the bounces just seemed to go in STL's direction. They are a very talented team, but very beatable. However, i don't think St Martin's can play with them. Good luck to both teams.

Also i think anyone that was at this game or any of STA's home games will agree that STA has the best soccer facility in the state. First it is not a football field. It is a soccer specific field that was redone last year. They have a scoreboard and our own locker room with locker like at Tad Gormley. And get this----They have the "shield" benches like the pro teams have. The complex is beautiful and the STA team is very lucky to have these conveniences.

[scout]

I have to say I too was impressed with their facilities. It was nice to have a "soccer-only" field. They are very lucky to have this.

[Bish]

Awesome game. I'll have to say that STA was a little better than I thought they would be, but still, didn't exceed my expectations by much. Lapira pretty much emberrased every single defender on STA, along with St. Louis's other forward, Greenman. In my opinion, the game shouldn't have been so close. I wasn't impressed with STA's defense at all, not saying that I think St. Louis's defense is all that great either but, their midfield is strong and comes back to help.

I agree that STA's field is probably one of the best in the state. Really big field, all green, and nice all around.

One thing I wanted to point out: Somehow I wasn't surprised after St. Louis intentionally kicked the ball out of bounds because they had a hurt player on the field, STA took advantange and threw the ball in to a teammate...No class

[You]

Hey catch.

please don't jump to conclusions about STA's class. the player throwing the ball in for STA didn't know the ball was intentionally kicked out by STL. Shortly after the ball was thrown in, one of the STA players pointed out the mistake and the ball was kicked back to the STl defense. Sorry for any confusion but your comment about STA's class is far from the truth.

Second, i have to disagree completely with your comments about the STA defense. if you were to recall from the game almost all of STL's (lapira mostly) shots were from way outside the 18. Not trying to make excuses for the result of the game but STA plays a flat four with an attacking and defending center-mid. This formation and the lapira's ability to shoot from far out (which is something most high school defenses don't have to worry about) was what made the difference in the game. There were almost no instances where any STL player penetrated the STA defense. The people Lapira was dribbling (or embarrassing as you say) through was almost all mids. i don't think a defense that shut out Jesuit is anything less than good. And lets not forget the score at half-time was 0-0. It was the first five minutes at the beginning of the second half when the two goals came. i think the third came as a result of throwing one of there center fullbacks up to forward to try to catch up. the first goal was a 25 yard shot that somehow went under the goalie and the second was a off a rebound from another 25 yard shot.

If you still disagree please post y (about the defense), but your allegations about STA's class are completely wrong.

[Bish]

Ok, thanks for clearing that up about the throw in. Sorry.

I think STA's defense wasn't physical enough. They gave lapira way too much breathing room. He had so many shots, and lucky for STA he was a little off on most of them. STA's midfield seemed to be a bit slacking on getting back too. I remember at one point, STL countered ( in the second half) and lapira was pretty much staying in one place, trying to get around a defender, for at least 12 seconds, and nobody was coming back to help STA's defense out. I think he almost scored off that opportunity. In fact, it may have been the goal that got called back.

[You]

i think you are right about giving lapira too much breathing room and a lot of that is due to the mid field formation. also Lapira floats around all over the field and it is very difficult to keep tabs on him. also i think if you look at the first half of the game, besides the one good shot at the very beginning of the game, lapira was as close to shut down as it gets until the second half when the two goal deficit changed everything. i personally think STA's defense is one of the best if not THE best defense in D3.

[scout]

I agree with "You". STA's defense was awesome. They were strong and physical, I did not find them to be dirty or classless. The only thing that was classless was the stupid fan who shot off the horn and whistle in Lapira's face during a thrown-in, but we won't get into that. All in all it was a great game. I don't think STL played their game that day. They came out much better in the second and showed their true colors. But I give STA alot of credit for stopping them in the 1st half, and their offense was pretty good. I don't think I've ever been that glad that a game was over! That was a rough game even for the spectators.