After suffering a loss on Saturday, the Bradford soccer team was able to get back on the right track by defeating Meadville, sweeping the season series in a 2-1 victory.

Earlier in the season, the Owls rolled over the Bulldogs with a 5-2 win. However, Meadville proved to not be a push-over the second time around.

In the opening minutes of the game, the Owls asserted themselves with constant drives towards the net. Cutting off Meadville’s passes at midfield, Bradford was able to get several shots on goal, albeit, without any luck. As Meadville’s goalkeeper intercepted several would-be goals, the Bulldogs finally warmed up, embarking on runs of their own that pressed into Bradford’s box.

“(Meadville) covered, particularly Andy (Mangold), really well and were stepping in the lane all the time trying to start in on the ball. They read the game well,” said Bradford head coach Peter Butler. “Their keeper played well. Their keeper played much, much better than they did (at Meadville).”

From there it became a back-and-forth battle of runs. Both teams gained possession, charged towards the goal and were stripped away in the last 20 yards or so. At the 17-minute mark, Bradford was able to change the stagnant pace of the game with a goal from Mitch Strauss, who carried the ball across the middle of the field and punched in a shot that netted in the bottom left corner.

Getting on the board seemed to loosen the Owls up. Their passing and movement became more fluid while their defense stepped up the intensity, collapsing on Bulldogs ball handlers and creating turnovers. With just 10 seconds left in the half, Bradford found their second goal of the game from Andrew Mangold, assisted by Strauss.

“I thought we played well. I told them at halftime that our problem has been putting two halves together. When we played DuBois, we controlled the first half and they controlled the second half and they won 2-1,” said Butler. “I didn’t want the same thing to happen here.”

In the second, Bradford once again opened with offensive aggression, forcing their way to the Bulldogs goal while refusing to allow their opponents to cross midfield. However, as their shots continuously missed their mark or found the hands of the Bulldogs’ goalkeeper Simon Farralley-Jackson, the energy slowly wound down. Halfway through the period, the game once again slumped into a rhythmic battle of tides.

Meadville would take advantage of the Owls’ lackadaisical energy, scoring near the 69-minute mark from Tio Aitken. Aitken’s shot, which came from 30-yards out, sailed through the air with a curve to the left, finding Owls’ goalkeeper Tristan Dragoone just narrowly out of position as the ball went just over his head and into the net. With just over 10 minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs had cut the deficit to just one score.

With a newfound intensity and only a handful of minutes left in the game, the Owls responded with stringent and mobile defense. Between clearing the ball down field and circulating it in their backfield, Bradford burned time off the clock, salvaging their eighth win.

Dragoone ended with six saves while Lorenzo Aiello had assists on both Bradford goals, which were scored by Strauss and Mangold.

Along with the win, the Owls had another occasion to celebrate the night with their seniors. At the end of the game, the Owls were able to recognize their eight seniors, Strauss, Mangold, Dragoone, Kelly Laird, Patrick French, Ward Kennedy, Alex Rimer and Gavin Neel.

“The fact that all the seniors that were recognized today start, that wasn’t a case of putting them in because it was senior night, they all earned it,” said Butler. “They will be missed. I hate the term ‘rebuilding,’ but it will be a challenge next year.”

The Owls now sit at 8-6 with just three games left in the season, two of which are slated to be played on the road. Looking to repeat as District 9 champions, Bradford knows the road ahead will be challenging, but worth fighting for.

“I hope we can win District 9 again. More than likely we will have to play Clearfield, and we don’t have a common opponent so we don’t know what they’re like,” said Butler. “Then, assuming we win that, we would play DuBois again, and it’s always hard to beat a team three times. We’ll see.”