X-Men drop hard fought game to Capers

SYDNEY – In a battle of top U SPORTS programs, the third-ranked Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (3-0-0) scored a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the 10^th-ranked STFX X-Men (2-1-0) in AUS soccer action on Saturday afternoon at Ness Timmons Field.

In the opening three minutes of the first half, a familiar face to CBU faithful – Charlie Waters (Blackpool, England) – now a first-year student-athlete with the X-Men, made a run before ripping a strike that hit the far post behind Caper keeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, England).

In the 18^th, off a CBU cross, first-year defender Sebastian Cochrane (Toronto, ON) got a quality shot, but X-Men keeper Sam Diltz (New Market, ON) dove to his left to make the stop.

After collecting a lead pass from Dyan Vil (Ottawa, ON), Waters made his way behind the CBU defenders and deposited a left-footed shot just inside the left goal post behind Clarke to make it 1-0 for the White and Blue in the 22^nd minute.

Cochrane collected another scoring chance, in the 25^th minute, but Diltz – once again – turned aside his opponent.

In the 30^th minute, Logan Rieck (Cambridge, ON), Kyle Cordeiro (Oakville, ON) and Vil combined on a nifty three-way passing play, but it ended with no X-Men goal.

With STFX holding the 1-0 edge, CBU captain Zé Cunha (Cascais, Portugal) tested Diltz but he couldn't put the home side on the scoreboard.

A short time later, Diltz turned aside a golden scoring opportunity from Max Piepgrass (Calgary, AB).

Off a corner kick in extra time, a pair of X-Men defenders collided as they soared for a clearing header, with the ball landing on the foot of Zé Cunha, who deflected the equalizer behind Diltz.

During the ensuing goal celebration, Cochrane received a red card, one that the left Capers one player short for the second half.

The sides were knotted 1-1 heading to the locker room.

In the second half, the Capers capitalized on an X-Men gaffe between defender Luke Green (Fall River, NS) and Diltz, who whiffed on a clearing attempt before striker Owen Sheppard (St. John's, NL) gobbled up the loose ball and chipped it home to make it 2-1.

A few minutes later, on a left-footed cross from Vil, Waters got a shot away but Clarke stretched to his left to make the stop and preserve the Capers' one-goal edge.

Sheppard, with the chance to make it back-to-back tallies, was thwarted by Diltz, who stretched to deflect away the scoring opportunities.

Although they had an extra attacker, the X-Men could not penetrate the Caper 'D' – one that excelled while playing shorthanded.

In the 84^th minute, Piepgrass collected an insurance marker, when he laced his free kick inside the right goal post behind Diltz, who made eight saves in the match, to make it 3-1.

In stoppage time, Cordeiro garnered the lone high-end chance for the X-Men, but Clarke, who finished with six stops, snatched his strike from just inside the box.

Piepgrass was the player of the match for the Capers, while Waters received the nod for the X-Men.

STFX will return to action tomorrow (Sunday, Sept. 10), when they host the Saint Mary's Huskies in a 3:15 p.m. ADT start at STFX Stadium.

CBU will be back on the pitch on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 3:15 p.m. ADT, when they travel to Halifax to face the Dalhousie Tigers at Wickwire Field.

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Recap courtesy Corey LeBlanc