Bears Beat Exeter 1-0; On to the Semifinals!

 The Bears rose to the occasion Sunday and beat Exeter 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the NHIAA D1 Tournament. Hanover  now heads to the semifinals on Wednesday.  Zach Tracy’s goal with 14 minutes remaining gave the Bears the only goal they needed, and Hanover’s superb team defense, led by Captain Ty Nolon, authored the team’s fourth straight shutout.  The Bears have now won 11 games in a row.  The win was the first time Hanover has ever won a quarterfinal game on the road.

The match was worthy of a final, pitting two well-coached and well-organized squads who were both peaking at just the right time.  Although Hanover had beaten Exeter earlier in the season, that match had been even in every respect, and now the Blue Hawks had the home field advantage. The Bears started the match briskly, and enjoyed a significant advantage in the opening minutes.  Carter Guerin created the first good chance of the match at the 11 minute mark, ripping a dangerous cross through the box, and shortly after that had a good shot on goal saved.  Exeter did a great job counterattacking, and threatened several times, once forcing a nice tackle by Alex McGrath on the doorstep.

 

Andrew McGuire made an impact within just a few minutes after his entrance, and his header on a Guerin cross was just a warning shot. A few minutes later he blazed a left-footer just wide of the far post. Ty Nolon was challenged several times, and made a superb play, getting off his line decisively to beat dangerous Sam Henry to a 50-50 ball. With 10 minutes left in the half, Exeter had three clear chances to score in one flurry of shots, with Nolon twice making point blank shots on Jack Herring, followed by a clear off the line by Noah Winchester.  Too close for comfort!  

 

The match changed significantly with five minutes to play in the half when Bear mainstay Becket McCurdy went down with a knee injury and had to leave the match. Right away, Exeter threatened, with Sam Henry breaking into the box for a bad angle shot saved by Nolon.  The Bears had the last look of the half, though.  The scoreless draw was a fair reflection of the match.  It was anybody’s for the taking.

 

Hanover started well in the second half.  Ian Press, on for McCurdy, lofted a chip into the box for Zach Tracy, but he was ruled offside. Exeter then had their best chance to score after a needless foul at the top of the box.  Sam Henry his a dangerous, dipping free kick that was headed bar down.  Somehow, Nolon made a spectacular dive to his right and pushed the certain goal wide.  Exeter Coach Dan Curran would later tell friends it was the best save he’d ever seen from a high school goalkeeper. Nolon was called upon only minutes later for another diving save, as Exeter seemed ready to grab the momentum, and the game.  Exeter Captain Dylan Drunsic made a run into the box and his a short-range left footer that Nolon swallowed up.

 

Finally, Hanover fought back.  A long run by tireless Ryder Hayes gave Jack Gardner the change to work for a good shot on goal.  A few minutes later, and long ball cleared to Exeter goalie Joe Bernard almost became a chance for Andrew McGuire when the keeper swung and missed on the clearance. Shortly afterward, with 15 minutes to play, McGuire got loose for a shot that was headed for the upper right corner, seemingly a certain goal.  Somehow, Bernard managed to levitate to push the ball just wide.

 

A minute later, the Bears got the only goal they needed.  McGuire chipped the ball into the box for Zach Tracy, isolated one-on-one with a defender.  He patiently worked free for a bad-angle shot from the baseline that was struck so hard it sizzled through Bernard and his the far side netting.

 

Exeter had several chances in the final minutes, but Nolon was on his game, coming off his line several times, and holding the Hawks at bay with his formidable kicking game.  Hanover helped see the match off with another session of corner ball, killing the clock deep in Exeter’s end.  Nolon made one final save on Herring’s challenging shot with minutes to play, and at the final whistle the stricken Exeter players dropped everywhere, a testament to the enormity of Hanover’s achievement.  Beating them on their home turf and taking home field advantage for the rest of the tournament is a big deal.

 

Hanover’s next task seems even more formidable.  The Bears are paired in the Wednesday semifinals with top-seeded Windham, the team that beat them 5-0.  Hanover has improved a great deal since that embarrassing loss, and now, with the entire NH soccer world watching, they have the chance to show just how much.  A rematch with Windham on turf, on a neutral field where they just tasted sweet victory?  Sigh them up!