Goswami reacts to power South Brunswick into GMC Boys Soccer Tournament semifinal

Goswami reacts to power South Brunswick into GMC Boys Soccer Tournament semifinal
BY MIKE NEW • STAFF WRITER • OCTOBER 22, 2009
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910220358re
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PISCATAWAY — Nick Goswami was done guessing.



As a result, his South Brunswick High School boys soccer team is anything but done with its run of upsets.

The senior keeper smothered an Adrian Mosquera penalty kick in the 74th minute, protecting the one-goal lead his team had gained just minutes earlier as the 10th-seeded Vikings upset No. 2 Piscataway, 3-1 Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament at Ciardi Field.

"All year, we've been talking about guessing or not guessing," Goswami said of stopping PKs. "Today, I was like, no more guessing. Just react."

Senior Brendan Vercammen snapped a 1-1 tie in the 71st minute off the second of classmate Patrick Harkness' three assists. Three minutes later, Mosquera — the Chiefs' leading scorer — was elbowed hard in the back in the box, drawing a whistle.

"(The referee) had the best view of anybody, and he saw what he saw," South Brunswick head coach Chris Hayston said. "These guys are not out here to make one team lose or one team win. It's always a tough call at that point, but fortunately for us, Nick came up big."

Mosquera shot high to Goswami's left, and the goalie slid effortless to push the ball up in the air then snared the rebound as a pair of Chiefs crashed the net. It was one of 14 saves on the night, none of which came easy against a dangerous Piscataway attack.

"I trust Adrian," Chiefs head coach Dave Hilgert said. "I would give it to him every time and any time. It's just the way it fell today."

Piscataway (12-5) tried to rally, but with just three defenders back, striker Bishoy Garis was able to find some space on a South Brunswick counter and put home the icing goal with three minutes to go.

The Chiefs' lone goal came on a header by junior Alex Rivera in the 32nd minute, which knotted the score at 1-1. Goalie Zeke Kokosinski made seven saves, including a lunging stop of Vercammen 90 seconds after Goswami's big save.

"I couldn't have asked for more, they played great," Hilgert said. "No one lost their composure after we went down one. They knew we'd get one eventually. They weren't afraid, they were focused."
n its run to the semis, South Brunswick (9-8) has upset a pair of division rivals, both of whom swept the regular season series. South Brunswick dropped a pair of one-goal games against St. Joseph before upending the seventh-seeded Falcons Monday in a first-round game.



"It shows a lot of character, and a lot of growth and development as a team," Hayston said of his team, which was at one point 3-6. "It took us a little while to get going, but the kids never gave up on the season. You can see how much better we are on Oct. 22 than we were on Sept. 1."

South Brunswick will play No. 11 Woodbridge in the first of two semifinals Monday night at East Brunswick High School. The opening whistle is scheduled for 5 p.m. With a win there, the Vikings could get a shot at a third team that has already beaten them twice this season: top-seeded East Brunswick.

If that happens, the Vikings are hoping the third time is the charm — for a third time.

"No one ever gave up, on our team. Everyone kept it strong, everyone was focused," Goswami said. "Coach has a saying, that it's hard to beat a team three times in a season. Turns out its true for us."