The Big Red opened Lakes Region League play with a trip to Kimball Union Academy.  As the game began the play went up and down the pitch.  Both teams were playing hard and trying to get quality chances on net.  Defense was the name of the game, however, and few balls got through.  A free kick for the Big Red would change things.  Matthew Jean Baptiste played a nifty through ball just to the left of the KUA wall and found Sebastian Beech making a super run to the back post.  Seb tucked the balls into the left corner for the 1 – 0 lead.  As the half wound down KUA pushed hard to equalize.  In the final minute they had their best chance.  A through ball to the KUA winger got behind the SPS defense and he then proceeded to lay a bangue pass back to a late arriving striker.  It would be keeper Theodore Sulger who would come up with a super save on a point-blank shot to take the Big Red into the half with the lead. 

KUA came out fast in the second half forcing Sulger to make another extraordinary save diving to his right just two minutes into the half. While the Big Red settled in, they still struggled winning second balls, and the Wildcats created more opportunities.  Twenty-four minutes into the half, a bouncing ball in the box was not cleared and KUA tapped the loose ball in to knot the game at 1.  SPS would get the next quality chance.  A penalty kick was called after an SPS corner.  An excellent stop by the KUA keeper kept the game even.  With 15 minutes to play KUA served a nice ball from the flank into the back post which was headed into the back of the net; heartbreaking for the Big Red.  SPS did not give up and threw everyone forward to even the score.  Time ran out before they could accomplish their goal.

Next up for SPS is hosting the Green Doors of Deerfield on Saturday.  See you at Hunt field at 3:00.

Go Big Red!