With a number of players just returning from almost three weeks off due to injury, the Middlesex boys' varsity soccer team hosted a talented Rivers side and rebounded from two first half goals to play the league leaders even in the second half for a 2-0 final. 

Rivers scored first in the 23^rd minute off of a long throw that bounced uncontested in the middle of the penalty area to #12 who volleyed home as the defense looked on.  In the 39^th minute the first significant attack for Middlesex materialized as junior Stevie Gleason wound up with an open shot off of a counter attack but missed the target.  Then the heart-breaker came in the final minute of the first half as Rivers slotted a pass inside the weak side wing-back to #8 who opened his hips to slot home just before the halftime whistle and take the 2-0 lead into the interval. 

The ten minute halftime break was a gut-check time for Middlesex and they responded by seizing control of the play in the second half and creating three golden scoring chances.  The first came less than three minutes after the restart as a diagonal ball from sophomore Logan Hallowell beat the Rivers backline and forced their keeper to come charging off of his line and punch a ball away from the challenging senior captain Philip Skayne.  The punch fell to the feet of the skillful freshman Gavin Tasker who curled an effort past the retreating keeper and just inches wide of the right post.  Tasker was again the recipient of some solid possession and build up play, as he took a beautiful settling touch that brought him beyond the Rivers backline but he was unable to keep his shot past the stranded Rivers keeper on frame.  Five minutes later, in the 65^th minute, it was time for sophomore keeper Dan Carlson to make the save of the match as he denied Rivers’ #8 a wide open look at goal.  Middlesex continued to battle for the rest of the half and the last great scoring chance fell in the 85^th minute as Skayne was fouled on the right side of the penalty area.  Stevie Gleason served a delicate back post ball that met the head of senior Jon Sokolsky at the back post who had not quite reached the peak of his jump as the open header went just a foot over the crossbar at the front post. 

In the end Middlesex stoutly and successfully defended a staggering 16 corner kicks from Rivers and balanced the match out in the second half by creating just as many quality scoring chances as the league leaders.  The Middlesex boys showed a great deal of character in the effort and represented the school with pride.