LYNN — The Lynn Tech boys soccer team appears to be finding its stride.
After an 0-5 start, the Tigers have turned things around. They picked up their third straight win Monday afternoon, defeating visiting Swampscott 2-0 in a non-conference game at Manning Field to improve to 3-5-1.
Lynn Tech senior Gabriel Alvarez was the difference in this one. All he did was score two of the prettiest goals you’ll ever see in a six-minute span midway through the first half to stake the Tigers to a 2-0 cushion.
A solid defensive effort the rest of the way sealed the deal, literally ground and pound, which Lynn Tech coach Eric Moreno said was the key to the win.
“I believe we can beat any team if we can keep the ball on the ground,” Moreno said. “Unfortunately, some of the teams we play, like Swampscott, have height, which we don’t have. When we keep the ball on the ground, we are a much better team. Those two goals were nice, beautiful and quick, and from there we just tried to play keep away.”
Swampscott coach Adam Bailey said a slow start proved to be the Big Blue’s undoing.
“Our keeper, Ryan Freed, played well today, but we were just a little sluggish at the start,” Bailey said. “Lynn Tech is a very good team that moves the ball very well. They are very organized and just a good team, that’s all. They play one-two touch, a very simple style, and they are fun to watch — unless you’re on the wrong side like we were today.”
Alvarez opened the scoring at the 21:39 mark of the first half with a rocket, high inside the left post after some fancy footwork opened up a shot. With about 15 minutes to go, he took a through ball from Efer Mendez and one-touched it mid air off the laces to double the lead to 2-0.
Swampscott had good looks both early and late. About eight minutes in, the Big Blue had back-to-back corners, the first played by senior captain Nico Croft short to junior Max Asipenko, who drew a second corner. Again, Croft played it short, but the cross came up empty.
In the late stages, Swampscott ramped up the attack but came up empty. With less than 17 minutes to go, senior captain George Spellios rattled a bullet off the crossbar. A couple of minutes later, a give and go to junior Simon Ramos resulted in an open look, but his shot missed low left, just wide
“We did have our chances,” Bailey said.
Bailey praised the play of sophomore Konrad Pitman, who played multiple positions, and Ramos, a junior.
“Konrad had a really good game for us,” Bailey said. “He played a little bit everywhere — some right back, some outside mid, and at the end up top. Simon Ramos was really good for us, too, at center back trying to get things going. That was a good learning lesson, as that is a very good Tech team.”
Moreno highlighted the play of junior goalie Romer Basulto, senior outside midfielder Mendez, senior defender Anthony Zavala and senior left back Jose De Leon.
“You can say names, and they played well, but there were a lot of good players today,” Moreno said. “As a whole, it was a solid team effort.”
Moreno said one of the problems he’s seen with Lynn Tech this year has been a tendency to play to the style of its opponents. He was pleased that didn’t happen against the Big Blue.
“We haven’t played our game,” Moreno said. “Instead, we’ve been chasing balls in a kick-and-chase style. I keep telling these guys they have to stay on the ground, like we did today.”
Next up for the Big Blue is East Boston on the road Friday (5).
“We know very little about them as this is the first time we’ve ever played them, so I gotta do a little homework on that over the next couple of days,” Bailey said.
Lynn Tech’s next game is Tuesday at Greater Lowell Tech (6). Moreno is expecting another tough one.
“They are always a good team,” Moreno said of Greater Lowell. “They always have great teams, so that’s going to be tough. We have some players who are injured, but we’ll see what we can do with the younger kids — eighth- and ninth-graders who are stepping up. If we play like today, we can give them a run for their money.”
