A’s rally falls just short
A’s netminders Oliver Vanyo, left, and Tye Wilson. Photo: BILL POTRECZ
The St. Catharines WMKL Athletics came up just short of a miraculous comeback, dropping a 7-6 decision to the Burlington Blaze in Ontario Junior Lacrosse League action Wednesday night at Canada Games Park.
The A’s fell behind 6-0 and trailed 7-1 early in the third before rattling off five goals in about eight minutes to narrow the gap down to one.
The loss was the second straight for the A’s who also dropped a 10-9 decision at Peterborough Monday.
Goaltender Oliver Vanyo, who got the start for the A’s, has been playing much better after a shaky beginning to the season which coincided with the team’s disappointing 1-9 start.
“We definitely feel a lot better,” Vanyo said before the game. “For me, it’s confidence and I feel a lot more confident.
“Our D unit has really come together and been stronger and we’ve built a lot of trust this year. It’s a lot easier to play and stop the ball when you trust your defence.”
Vanyo, a 20-year-old St. Catharines native who attended Governor Simcoe, feels a player can learn a lot about himself when things don’t go according to plan.
“It’s tough when things aren’t going your way but it’s in the toughest moments where you bear down and try the hardest and get the momentum back and just worry about the next game,” he said. “Just don’t think about it. Just make the next save and move on and get focused and set and believe in yourself.”
Ty Wilson, an 18-year-old Oshawa native who took the loss in goal Monday, admitted it hasn’t been an easy season at times for himself and Vanyo.
“It was a little difficult because at times it might be our fault, at times it might not be, (but) we’re always there to stop the ball,” he said. “We take a lot of that to ourselves. We were struggling a little bit but we regrouped. We trust each other, we trust our teammates and everyone trusts each other. It’s all good.”
Vanyo, who recently transferred from Lindenwood University in St. Louis to Cleveland State when Lindenwood dropped their lacrosse program, is confident he and Wilson can get the job done.
“Ty and I both know we’re able to stop the ball and we’re both pretty good goalies. I know I can do it, I just have to go out and execute,” Vanyo said.
A’s head coach Steve Toll called out both goaltenders in the press, saying the team needed more from them and both responded with more consistent play as the A’s rebounded to get back in the playoff hunt with five straight wins.
“I took it and used it as a little bit of fire,” Vanyo said. “They called me out. Ya, I’m probably not doing my job the best that I can, so I’m going to show them I deserve to be on this team and deserve to wear that jersey.”
Wilson feels despite the two losses this week, the A’s are on the right track.
“If you look at some of our scores, it was one-goal losses and we were playing really hard,” he said. “I feel like we were right there and we had a tough schedule to start and then it got a little easier. We got the monkey off our back and got over the hump and now we know what it’s like to win again.
“We feel good, we’re confident and trust each other and know we can do damage as team.”
Toll feels both Vanyo and Wilson just need to keep things simple and the rest will take care of itself.
“Make the saves you’re supposed to make, make those five to 10 good saves, but they’re going to score goals,” Toll said. “That’s obvious. We know we have to get 10 goals to win.”
A’s acorns: Zack Toll, Cameron Wheelans, Colin French, Gavin Howard, Carson Robins and Jack Parker did not dress for the A’s. . . . Vanyo made 42 saves Wednesday . . . The A’s sit in fifth place with a 7-9 record with four games remaining in regular season play.
STATS PACK
Blaze 7 A’s 6
WMKL Player of the Game: Burlington’s Xander Derkatz with four points.
St. Catharines Athletics: Trent Mooradian 2; Keaton Zavitz 2; Thunder Hill, Christian Lefeuvre.
Burlington Blaze: Derkatz 3; Gavin Thibeault, Lucas Fraser, Ted Rawson, Will MacLeod.
Up next: At Oakville Thursday and home to Orangeville next Thursday for the regular season home finale. The game is being played Thursday since Wednesday is unavailable due to Team Canada practising at Canada Games Park.
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