LYNN — The Lynn Tech boys soccer team controlled pace from start to finish and found the back of the net just enough to beat Whittier 2-0 at Manning Field Monday.
Tech peppered Whittier with shots right from the start but struggled to capitalize for most of the night. The margin of victory this time around was a big flip from the Tigers 9-1 win at Whittier last Friday.
“To be honest, I’m disappointed with my team,” Tech coach Eric Moreno Sr. said. “This is a (Whittier) team where we went into their house and beat them 9-1. Now they came here and we won the game 2-0, but I felt that a lot of my experienced players and my leaders didn’t come with the same intensity that we had (Friday).”
Kevin Yuman and Brian Barrera each found the back of the net for Tech. Goalkeepers Pedro Bamanca (first half) and William Martinez (second) split time in net for the shutout, but didn’t have to make too many plays with the Tigers controlling possession for a majority of the game.
For Whittier goalie Lucas MacFarland it was the exact opposite. MacFarland put together an impressive game that included several diving stops and a pair of saves on penalty kicks in the second half.
“I’m hoping we can finish off the season with the same intensity we had (Friday) moving forward,” Moreno said. “They had the same team. (MacFarland) I give credit he’s a really good goalie. Last game he only played 20 minutes or so. That being said, we are the better team and the intensity wasn’t there (Monday).”
The missed chances started piling up early for Tech. The Tigers moved the ball around methodically but had nothing to show for it between failed free and corner kicks, some blocked shots, a pair of offsides calls and some nice saves from MacFarland.
Finally, with just under 14 minute left in the first half, Yuman sent a kick on goal that was out of MacFarland’s reach and found the back of the net to put Tech ahead 1-0.
The Tigers found their second goal faster in the second half. Barrera had an initial shot blocked by a defender but it bounced right back to him before he settled it down and scored to stretch the lead to 2-0.
Later in the second half Barrera and Bilder Arreaga were each awarded penalty kicks just minutes apart. MacFarland made a diving stop on the first and held his ground to corral the second and keep the Tigers’ lead at two.
But Whittier’s offense remained silent the rest of the way and Tech cruised to the win.
“The games we play on Monday for some reason we kind of start very slow and then we pick it up a little bit,” Moreno said. “We need to do better when we play any team. The intensity needs to be better and we need to play better as a team.”
Tech (6-2-2) will have some time to regroup before ending its season next week with back-to-back games against Greater Lawrence Monday (4) and Wednesday (4).