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November 28, 2010
The Baltimore Kickers beat Rosedale Select 6-5 in OT on November 28 to win the 2010 Bernie Reif Cup.
About the Bernie Reif Cup:
The Bernie Reif Cup is one of three Maryland Major Soccer League Cup competitions. The Reif Cup features four clubs from the MMSL\'s Champions League (5th-8th place), two clubs from the MMSL\'s 1st Division (3rd & 4th), and two clubs from the MMSL\'s 2nd Division (3rd & 4th). The Cup is named after Bernie Reif. Bernie is a member of Maryland Soccer Hall of Fame. Bernie was a successful player, coach, and administrator in the Baltimore amateur and professional leagues which existed prior to the formation of the Maryland Major Soccer League in 1965. September 23, 2010
Catonsville, MD - Despite falling behind 1-0 and 2-1 early in the first half, Charm City FC prevailed over the Baltimore Kickers in a battle of Champion League opponents at Catonsville High School, winning 4-2.
The Kickers spent the opening minutes of the contest hunkered down in their half of the field as Charm City maintained stretches of possession searching for an early strike. However it would be the Kickers who tallied the first goal as Charm City pushed nine men forward leaving one defender on top scorer, Chris Lorenzet. The Kickers played a long clear to midfield that was misplayed by Charm City's backline, allowing Kickers forward Lorenzet to race towards, and beat their keeper to put Baltimore up, 1-0. In the next 12 minutes, Baltimore would have a handful of opportunities to put the game away. Lorenzet and Jeff Kocher narrowly missed for the Kickers, chances that would eventually come back to haunt them. Later in the first half, Charm City leveled the score at 1-1 but, before they could savor tying the game, Kickers central midfielder Anthony DeCesaris put Baltimore back up 2-1.
The Kickers' slim halftime lead would soon be erased midway through the second half as Charm City even the score at 2-2. Baltimore was unable to find the rhythm they had on offense in the opening 45 minutes and kept turning the ball over to Charm City. Late in the second stanza, Charm City recorded the go ahead goal to take a 3-2 lead. Deep into injury time they were awarded a controversial penalty kick which finished the game at 4-2. September 19, 2010
Chase, MD - The Baltimore Kickers suffered their first loss in the Champions Division for 2010, falling 4-0 to Christos.
The game started off at a slow pace, with both teams maintaining periods of possession and feeling each other out. Chances were at a premium and the Kickers would see a great chance go begging as midfielder Greg Keller would narrowly miss twice inside the first 20 minutes. Christos would have some chances as well, most notably in the 25th minute as a quick long-ball would find a Christos attacker in alone with just Kickers goalkeeper, Mike Lott to beat. Lott would win out in the duel, kicking the ball to safety. At the end of the half there would be a dangerous chance for both teams. Kickers forward, Chris Lorenzet, found himself with a great chance that would just narrowly miss wide. And at the other end, a scramble at the top of the box would see a quick turn and shot by a Christos attacker which Lott alertly turned around the post. The teams would go into the break still scoreless, 0-0. The second half would not be as promising for the Kickers. Christos came out a much more determined side and began to impose their will on the match. Employing a short passing, possession oriented attack, Christos would begin moving the ball expertly around the pitch. The Kickers would battle well, but began to lose their legs as they spent most of the half chasing the ball and defending. The break through for Christos would come in the 65th minute. The Kickers back four would get caught flat as a through ball sent in a Christos forward on a breakaway. Kickers goalkeeper Lott made the initial save, but the rebound fell at the feet of a trailing Christos attacker who cooly finished into the empty net to put Christos up 1-0. 10 minutes later, Christos would increase their lead to 2-0 with an almost exact replay of their first goal. A through ball would expose the backline of the Kickers, sending a Christos forward in alone on goal. Lott made the initial save but yet again, the rebound fell to another Christos attacker to finish into the gaping net. In the 80th minute, Christos would have their third goal as a Christos winger attacked down the left flank. His surging run took him past two Kickers defenders and he would bear down on the goal. As Lott came out to narrow the shooting angle, the winger laid the ball back across the box where an unmarked Christos forward finished with authority. Christos would round out the scoring in the 85th minute. After the Christos keeper denied forward Chris Lorenzet, he collected the ball and punted it up the field. A Kickers defender would lose the ball in the bright sunlight, causing him to misplay the ball. As goalkeeper Lott advanced to try and sweep up the danger, the Christos forward would beat him to the ball and finish past the helpless keeper. September 12th, 2010
Lutherville-Timonium, MD - The Baltimore Kickers continue their winning ways in the MMSL Champions Division with a hard-fought 1-0 win over long-time rivals, Mundo FC at Meadowood Regional Park. Played under some extremely wet conditions, the Kickers almost got off to a dream start with three close chances within the first 10 minutes of the game. Forward Jeff Kocher found himself in one on one with the Mundo keeper after a beautiful through ball by midfielder Chris Lorenzet. As the keeper advanced, Kocher hit his shot low and hard, beating the keeper, only to see the ball bounce off the far post back to him. Kocher would quickly hit the rebound on goal, but the Mundo keeper would parry it away to deny him. Minutes later, a ball from forward Nick Kiss would again see Kocher on the door step, only to see the Mundo keeper make another save to keep the Kickers at bay. Mundo seemed to gain some belief after weathering the early storm. They began to gain more possession and test the Kickers defense. But the kickers defense would hold their lines and repel the attacks to keep the score at nil-nil going into the break. The second half would begin much like the first. The Kickers dominated possession and chances, but were unable to find a way through the Mundo back line. Mundo would have a glorious chance of there own at the 65th minute mark, as a Mundo attacker ran onto a long ball down the right flank and would be in all alone on the Kickers goal. However, kickers goalkeeper Mike Lott would be quickly off his line to close down the attacker's angle and make the diving save to keep Mundo off the score sheet. This would prove to be a turning point in the match. Just minutes later, the Kickers offensive pressure would be rewarded. Chris Lorenzet would hit a fine curling effort from the top left side of the penalty box that soared over the diving Mundo keeper and find the back of the net, putting the Kickers up 1-0. Following that goal, Mundo would try and find a goal of there own. However, the Kickers would continue to dominate possession and see the game out, victorious yet again. Gaffer Ricky Sanchez seems to be pushing all the right buttons thus far, and the Kickers improve their record in the Champions Division to 3-0-1, 10 points, with 12 goals scored and only 3 conceded in 4 games, with 2 shutouts.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Catonsville, MD - The Baltimore Kickers continued their winning ways with a 5-0 thrashing of long-time rivals, JA Raiders. The kickers announced their intentions early when forward Jeff Kocher narrowly missed wide in the opening minute of the match. The Kickers would pile on the pressure and would see their hard work rewarded just minutes later. Greg Keller would chested down a great cross-field pass from left back, Tyler Inge, and would calmly half-volley the ball up and over the Raiders keeper to put the Kickers up 1-0. 10 minutes later, Keller turned provider as he played a ball into Lorenzet, who coolly slotted the ball into the side netting to give the Kickers a 2 goal advantage. August 22, 2010
The Baltimore Kickers notched their first win in the Champions League with a 4-1 thrashing of the Rosedale Magicmen. The game was played on a soaked field thanks to a driving rainstorm leading up to kickoff. The Magicmen would come out firing, dominating possession in the first 10 minutes of the match. Their pressure would see them rewarded as the failure of the Kickers midfield to pressure, allowed a Magicmen midfielder to waltz into the Kickers box and blast a shot past helpless Kickers goalkeeper, Mike Lott, to put Rosedale up 1-0. The early goal served as a wake up call to the kickers who then seized the game by the scruff of the neck. The Kickers started to gain a majority of the pressure and put together a lot of great interchanges. The change in approach paid off in spades for the Kickers as midfielder Greg Keller was able to intercept a pass and feed the ball into forward Jeff Kocher. Kocher spun and drilled a laser from 19 yards out past the flailing Magicmen goalkeeper to knot the score at 1-1. The second half started brilliantly for the Kickers. Lots of possession and lots of pressure created chance after chance. Kyle Leheay beat the Magicmen down the right side early in the second half and found forward Chris Lorenzet unmarked in the area who coolly slotted the ball in to allow the Kickers to go up 2-1. The Kickers continued to pile on the pressure. midfielder Rob Bailey picked off a Magicmen pass in the middle of the park and broke forward. He drew the defense and then slotted the ball back across to find Lorenzet again unmarked who curled the ball in from close range to give the Kickers a 3-1 lead. The icing on the cake would come 20 minutes from full time. Nick Kiss dribble his way through the Magicmen defense, knifing his way past 4 defenders. Once free, he played an unselfish ball into the middle as the goalkeeper advanced. Chris Lorenzet was waiting on the doorstep to complete his hat-trick and give the Kickers a commanding 4-1 lead. The Magicmen would try and storm back, but Kickers center backs Brandon Fischer and Dan Thrailkill repeatedly held their line and would see the Kickers run out victorious on the day. August 15th, 2010 The Baltimore Kickers kicked off their 2010 season with a hard-faught 2-2 draw with Allyance FC. Played in a torrential downpour, the Kickers almost went behind in the first 5 minutes as Kickers netminder, Mike Lott, barely tipped over a dangerous shot off an early run down the right flank by Allyance. But the Kickers got off to a dream start in their return to top-flight amature soccer, taking the lead in the 15th minute. A searching diagonal ball found forward Nick Kiss in alone with the Allyance keeper. As Kiss went to flick the ball past the goalkeeper, the keeper hauled Kiss down in the area for a penalty. Chris Lorenzet held his nerve and calmly slotted the spot kick into the bottom corner to put the kickers up 1-0. But the Allyance players regrouped and and qucikly stormed back. They tied it up at 1-1 with a blast into the top right corner from 18 yards away in the 25th minute. At the 30 minute mark, Allyance would claim the lead through a rather fortuitous goal. A strong run down the right flank by Allyance saw a dangerous cross whipped thrugh the Kickers box. After deflecting off another Allyance player and skipping off the turf, the ball deflected of of center back Brandon Fischer and past the stranded Kickers netminder to put Allyance up 2-1. Seconds before the halftime whistle, a poor clearance by Allyance resulted in a turnover for the Kickers and a quick cross into the box. The searching ball found an un-marked Anthony DeCesaris, who calmly headed the ball over the advancing Allyance keeper to tie the game at 2-2. The second half was full of chances at both ends. The Kickers came close on a shot by forward Tim Dunn, who narrowly missed after an errant Allyance pass was picked off allowing Dunn to race in unmarked. The kickers also managed to hit the cross bar twice, but could not find a way |
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