Tucker’s Mikael Dawit (10) blocks a Chamblee pass during Tucker’s 2-0 win over the Bulldogs in Region 4-5A play at Adams Stadium on Thursday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Tucker Tigers earned a hard-fought, defensive 2-0 shoutout win against the Chamblee Bulldogs in Region 4-5A boys’ high school soccer at Adams Stadium on Thursday night to get the split against Chamblee.
Tucker (4-3-2, 4-0) got a shutout from goalkeeper Hasaan Al Naseri in the game that featured only 12 shots on goal. The Tigers got on the board first less than nine minutes into the game on a breakaway by Kevin Chavez who won a one-on-one battle with Chamblee goalie Julian Quirk at the 30:38 mark of the first half.
Defense was the name of the game over the next 63 minutes as the teams battled back-and-forth up the field. Quirk finished the half with three saves as Tucker managed just four shots on goal in the opening half.
Chamblee (3-7-0, 1-2) got off just two shots on goal, one saved by Al Naseri at the 21:00 minute mark to keep the Tigers in front 1-0, and another that went over the cross bar.
The two teams continued the defensive struggle into the second half with Quirk turning away a pair of shots by the Tigers in the first 18 minutes, including a nice dive to his left to knock away a point-blank Tiger shot from the opposite side.
Chamblee went down a player with 25.53 remaining due to a second yellow card and five minutes later Tucker was able to take advantage on a free kick. A fake kick by Kevin Chavez who then received the pass from Mikael Dawit.
Chavez dribbled around the left side and lifted a crossing kick in front of the goal and Lucas Duncan headed it into the net to make it 2-0 with just 17:32 to play in the match.
Al Naseri made a diving deflection of a Chamblee shot with 10:52 to play which was the last real scoring threat of the game. He finished the game with three saves while not allowing a goal.
Quirk finished the night with six saves and two goals allowed.
Chamblee captain Cassidy Kuehne (12) had a pair of goals to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 4-1 win over the Tucker Lady Tigers in Region 4-5A play at Adams Stadium on Thursday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
(G) Chamblee 4, Tucker 1
The Chamblee Lady Bulldogs opened the 4-5A doubleheader by taking a 4-1 victory over the Tucker Lady Tigers at Adams Stadium on Thursday.
Chamblee kept the pressure on throughout the first half with 14 shots on goal including blast by Cassidy Kuehne with 25:20 left in the first half to put the Lady Bulldogs (5-4-1, 3-0) up 1-0. Kuehne was assisted by Addison Morris on the play.
Tucker goalkeeper Kaylee Rice was busy in the first half turning away 12 shot attempts by Chamblee. Her play led to the Lady Tigers (6-2-1, 3-1) knotting the score with 16:39 to play in the opening half as Gabby Cole chased down a deep pass for a breakaway goal to make it 1-1.
Chamblee kept the pressure on and regained the lead at 2-1 as Kuehne lifted a corner kick to the front of the goal and Morris headed the ball into the net with 6:54 left in the half.
Kuehne upped the margin to 3-1 with 29:53 left in the game as she nailed a 25-yard free kick into the lower right corner of the goal after a foul was called.
Rice turned away four more Chamblee shots in the second half. The only other Chamblee goal came in a crowd in front of the goal as Sophia Hamilton found the net for the final of 4-1.
Chamblee used two keepers in the game with Simone Williams getting the start and finishing with two saves and one goal allowed on four shots by the Tigers. Mary Entrekin came in to play keeper after the half and picked up two saves on Tucker’s only two shots on goal in the second half.
Rice finished the night with 16 saves as Tucker put 20 shots on goal during the match.