Swampscott boys soccer still has shot of reaching tourney after defeating Saugus

SAUGUS – Preserving its hopes for a state tournament berth, the Swampscott boys soccer team defeated host Saugus, 5-0, on Wednesday.Click here for a photo gallery.Before the game, Swampscott’s first-year coach, Eric Robinson, said that his team needed to win seven out of its final eight games. That number is now down to six out of seven.The Big Blue tested Saugus keeper Peter Polcari, who made 24 saves ? including several of the point-blank variety.Swampscott opened up the scoring in the 17th minute. Adnan Dzino picked up a deflected save by Polcari and put the rebound over the sprawled keeper. Saugus kept fighting back but its long pass game was not working, mainly because Big Blue sweeper Phil O’Connor was clearing every through ball back to his midfielders, who would launch a counterattack.The half ended with Swampscott ahead, 1-0.The second half was only three minutes old when midfielder Patrick Gavin carried the ball deep into the Saugus end, went around the wing defender, and put a ball into the area that center midfielder Erick Verdu headed into the top left corner to make it 2-0, Swampscott.In the 53rd minute, Dzino picked up his second goal of the game on a pass from Nadav Zafrani, whose cross was blasted by Dzino off a Saugus defender. It went past the keeper, who was playing the shot until the deflection changed the direction. The score was now 3-0, Swampscott.In the 63rd minute, Gavin picked up his second assist on a beautiful cross that Zafrani headed into the far corner over the keeper’s hands. The score was now 4-0. Robinson emptied his bench ane of the subs, Victor Simons, scored the fifth goal with less than one minute to play. A through pass from Zafrani put Simons in alone on the keeper and he made sure of his shot as he put it in the far corner. This was Zafrani’s third point of the game.Saugus coach Tom Duplisea congratulated the Swampscott players, saying, “They were very fast today and their passing was exceptional.”Robinson said, “We have had trouble putting our foot on the gas. We would play well for 15-20 minutes, then we would fade. When we keep the ball on the ground, no one can stay with us. When we have to contest the high balls, we run into trouble because we don’t have much size.”