Classical defeats Tech in a slugfest 7-6

LYNN – The second game was a complete reversal of the first. After the injury to veteran Rams keeper Eric Silva, both Classical and Tech went with rookie inexperienced keepers that turned the game into a shooting contest. Classical won, 7-6, to advance to the final of the Lynn City Soccer Tournament, where it will face English (Saturday, 7 p.m.). Tech plays St. Mary’s in the consolation.The scoring started at the 6-minute mark with Steve Lavin beating Tech keeper Gerson Rodriguez from 10 yards out. The assist went to Carlos Cifuentes. The second goal came at the 11-minute mark when Classical’s Miguel Castro scored with an assist to Joe Basher. That made the score Rams 2, Tech 0. Tech’s Richard Jones-Alas cut the lead to 2-1 when Silva dropped a cross, and in the melee Silva was injured and did not return to the game. Jeremy Dorson replaced Silva in the net. At the 16-minute mark on a through ball from Castro, Marc Moise beat the Tech keeper low left to push the score to 3-1, Classical. Tech would not quit and a minute later, Jones-Alas scored his second with an assist to Prince Tchoumi. Classical opened up a two-goal lead with Rafael Rosa scoring with an assist to Castro. Classical opened up a 3-goal lead on an unassisted left-footed shot from the arc by Castro. With the clock running out and seconds to go to the end of the half, Tchoumi cut the lead to 5-3 with an assist to Goran Susa. The halftime score was Classical 5, Tech 3.Five minutes into the second half, Classical hit again with Castro scoring with an assist to Cifuentes.In the next 15 minutes, Tech controlled both ends of the field, scoring three times. In the 47th minute, Tchoumi scored with an assist to Aloysius Fonta, and four minutes later the same combination hit again. At the 61st minute, Tchoumi scored his 4th goal of the game – also a natural hat trick, three consecutive goals. The game was now tied at 6-6. Both teams were exhausted after all the scoring. Classical, however, had one more attack left and scored the winner at the 77th minute on a cross from Rosa to Lavin, who headed it by the Tech keeper.