Topsail gets past Dixon again

 HAMPSTEAD - Once again it was a Topsail outside shot that victimized Dixon.

Only this time it came from senior Nick Colangelo, who scored from 25 yards out with 23 minutes, 3 seconds remaining to give the Pirates the lead for good in a 3-2 Coastal Plains 1-A Conference soccer victory over the Bulldogs on Monday.

The midfielder's deciding goal came 10 minutes after Dixon junior Jared Bumgardner tied the contest in what was the Bulldogs' second of two scores in less than two minutes. Junior Jordan Oliver had provided Dixon momentum when he found the net with 25:21 left to cut the Pirates' lead in half.

And though the Bulldogs had an opportunity to forge the lead moments later, it was Colangelo who helped the Pirates retake the surge by delivering a strong shot after playing the ball from about 40 yards away.

"I looked up to see if anyone was open," recalled Colangelo. "I was then able to get past a defender, and then another defender, and shot it, angling it in the left corner."

Colangelo's deep shot marked the second time an attempt just outside the 18-yard line propelled the Pirates (8-4 overall, 4-0 in the conference) past the Bulldogs (6-7-3, 3-2). Senior Brandon Batson's score from 20 yards out in overtime gave Topsail, fourth in the latest N.C. Soccer Coaches Association 1-A rankings, a 1-0 win in this series last month.

"We had our central midfielder out and we had some card trouble so we were looking at sitting on our 2-0 lead," Colangelo said. "Dixon was able to come back, so I put all my feelings into my shot."

That attempt not only gave Topsail its fourth consecutive one-goal triumph over its rival, but also marked another step in the Pirates' quest for a second consecutive Coastal Plains Conference title.

"The kids came out and were dedicated," said Topsail head coach Gordon Stanisic. "They knew this was not going to be an easy game, but they fought hard and didn't let up."

That resiliency was challenged as the Bulldogs twice found the net early in the second half after trailing 2-0 at intermission. Oliver scored off an assist from junior Kris Cotter before Bumgardner headed in a left-sided crossing pass from junior Blake Pitz, whose potential game-tying shot from inside the 18 with five minutes remaining drifted wide right. 

"I told our guys that I was proud of them," said Dixon head coach Kevin Hicks. "We came out in the first 10 minutes of the second half and moved the ball like we are capable of doing for 80 minutes.

"We created more chances in the second half, chances that we would normally bury."

But it was Topsail which established a favorable pace prior to the break. Utilizing their advantage in size and speed, the Pirates got goals from seniors Nathan Leemhuis and Matt Thomas.

"It was definitely a focus trying to score early," said Colangelo. "Then we tried to get more than one goal."

Leemhuis put his shot into the back of the net after junior Timothy Schwan got his head on senior Lucas Freitas' right-sided throw-in, while Thomas gave the home club a 2-0 cushion after rebounding a shot off the goalkeeper.

"We made two mistakes and Topsail made us pay for them," Hicks said.

Pirates senior goalie Michael Hall registered three saves, while Bulldogs junior keeper Brian Gendron made four stops.

Dixon              0    2  -    2

Topsail            2    1  -    3

GOALS - D: Oliver, Bumgardner. T: Leemhuis, Thomas, Colangelo. ASSISTS - D: Cotter. T: Schwan. IN GOAL - D: Gendron (4 saves). T: Hall (3 saves). SHOTS ON GOAL - D 5, T 7. CORNER KICKS - D 1, T 6. RECORDS - D: 6-7-3, 3-2, at Lejeune Wednesday. T: 8-4, 4-0, at Pamlico Wednesday.