Dialog reporter
CLAYMONT – Archmere’s soccer team controlled the play in its Diamond State Athletic Conference showdown with Delaware Military Academy on Sept. 27, but the Auks could break through just once. Sean Murray’s goal in the 56th minute, however, was enough, propelling Archmere to a 1-0 win on a sunny afternoon in Claymont and dealing DMA its first loss of the season.
The Auks had been frustrated all afternoon by Seahawks goalkeeper Jacob Davenport, but that changed when Murray took a pass from Reid Niermann and dribbled just inside the penalty box. He launched a shot to Davenport’s right, catching the inside of the netting to put his team ahead.
“I was looking at our back left shoulder and I ended up beating their center back,” Murray said.
DMA earned one of its four corner kicks two minutes later, but that went nowhere, and the Seahawks were not able to forge a tie. In fact, the Auks continued to press, but they could not score again, thanks in large part to the work of Davenport. Archmere earned back-to-back corners in the 62nd, but on the first an Auk headed the ball into a defender, and on the second, Davenport made a diving save.
Delaware Military Academy started off the afternoon on more even footing with the Auks. The Seahawks forced Archmere keeper Blake Parker to make both of his saves in the first half. The first came on a header off a corner kick in the fifth minute, and the second was a free kick that headed straight to Parker.
Much of the first half was played in the middle of the field, with neither team giving much ground. Most of Archmere’s chances came from the margins. DMA took control of possession about halfway through the first for about five minutes, but Archmere regained momentum after that and never relinquished.
The chances mounted for Archmere as the first half wore on; during one stretch the Auks picked up four corner kicks in a six-minute stretch. DMA did get a chance in the final two minutes, when Anthony Gambacorta earned a free kick from just outside the box. He bent the shot around the wall, but it sailed right into Parker’s gloves.
The Auks (5-1) finished with 18 shots, and Davenport had saves on 12 of them. Archmere also had nine corner kicks. Parker finished with two saves on eight Seahawks shots. Next up is a trip to St. Mark’s this Saturday at 3 p.m. for a battle between two of the best teams in Division II. The Spartans are 3-0-1.
Murray said the Auks could be a lot better. “We’re 5-1 but we’re not happy about it. Our play isn’t where we want it to be so there is a lot of room for growth.
“We haven’t put 80 minutes together yet. We show moments of brilliance here and there, but we haven’t gotten the intensity going for the whole match.”
DMA (4-1-2) travels to A.I. DuPont on Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. start.
