Gino Zazzetta has not seen much action. The senior goalkeeper at Calvert Hall (2-0) had only started one game for the Cardinals? freshman-sophomore team and did not even make the varsity soccer squad last season.
Calvert Hall head coach Andy Moore said that Zazzetta had a great tryout, and he made the team this year as the back-up goalie behind senior starter Kyle Wittman. A red card on Wittman in Calvert Hall?s final game in 2005, however, put Zazzetta starting in goal in the Cardinals? first MIAA A Conference game against Archbishop Spalding (0-2) Friday.
Playing at home, Zazzetta and Calvert Hall blanked Spalding, 4-0. “It was is incredible, I played all right, but the guys played excellent,” Zazzetta said.
“He controlled the box and communicated really well, and he handled his jitters,” Moore said.
“I was nervous coming in, but I knew the guys would be there all day, and the goals really helped,” said Zazzetta, who had six saves. “They came out real tough, and we played our game and put them away.”
Moore told his team before the start of the game that Spalding would not give up. “I told them they would have to go for 80 minutes.” According to Spalding coach Ed Kestler, Calvert Hall had control of the game from start to finish.
The difference, said Kestler, was Calvert hall?s artificial turf. Spalding played Wednesday on a slow field, and as much as the team tried, they could not simulate the speed of the turf in practice.
“We were shell-shocked with the speed of play, and we did not adjust. The guys worked hard, and we are a much better team than we showed today,” Kestler said.
Half of Calvert Hall?s goals came from sophomore forward Matt Tyrie. “I was looking for an open space, and I put the ball in,” Tyrie said. The sophomore is one of four underclassmen starting for the Cardinals.
“We have a nicebalance of experience and a lot of maturity and leadership,” Moore said. “The guys said they were going to try to get a couple goals early to take the pressure off [Zazzetta], and they kept their promise,” Moore said.
