On a cool but sunny mid-autumn afternoon, the Big Green hosted a talented Williston team that had lost only two games so far this season. The visitors struck first, capitalizing on several defensive lapses on the part of the hosts to punch the ball past ‘keeper Ben Diffley ’20 in the 9th minute of play. Evidently undeterred, DA took the game in hand and equalized only 3 minutes later: Marcel Aziamale ’20 rose high in the air to meet a free-kick from Brendan Kish ’20, finding Skye Bacon ’20 who deftly nodded home. From that moment on, DA looked able to handle the opposition. And indeed, 10 minutes later, another free kick – this time taken quickly by Kish – found Luca Antongiovanni ’20 free on the left wing. Settling and advancing the ball with a splendid first touch, Antongiovanni beat his man down the left and cut the ball back towards the penalty spot, where midfielder Nyle Kamil ’22 struck from 15 yards out with his left foot, beating the diving Williston keeper and finding the far right-hand corner of the goal. Deerfield doubled its lead in the 6th minute of the second half, when Kish drove a low free kick into the box from the left flank and Aziamale ran onto the ball and buried it from near the right post. Twenty minutes later the visitors struck back, converting a penalty-kick following a foul in the box. With the score at 3-2, DA pressed on and soon widened their lead: with 14 minutes left to play, captain Zach Davis ’20 collected a pass from wingback Jarod Harrington ‘20 and crossed to Marcel Aziamale at the top of the box. Aziamale pushed the ball left to Brendan Kish, who touched the ball forward, eluded two Williston defenders, and then poked it goalward and past the Williston keeper. But with 13 minutes left to play, the result was still undecided; and, sure enough, another opportunity came Williston’s way with 10 minutes left play – another penalty-kick call: but this time Diffley read the shot well and clasped it securely as it flew to his left side. Deerfield preserved the 4-2 lead and clinched the victory.
Deerfield now looks ahead to a midweek away match up the road at Northfield Mount Hermon, perhaps the most successful team in the NEPSAC ‘A’ Class so far this season.