MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Senior Matt Molica scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Columbia High School boys soccer team to a 3-2 win over Montclair Kimberley Academy at Underhill Sports Complex’s Lynn V. Profeta Field on Tuesday, Sept. 24. The Cougars handed MKA its first loss of the season.
MKA moved to 7-1 with the loss.
Molica’s goal was assisted by senior Sebastian Rios-Valdez, who scored the first two goals for the Cougars in the win.
“That was a big win for us, we knew MKA was going to be a really good team, they’ve got some very talented individuals and they’re well coached,” CHS head coach Ryan Muirhead said. “We started off very well, going up 2-0 early, had a couple lapses that allowed them to tie the game and, despite being down a couple starters and others being banged up, the boys were able to fight through it and come away with a big win.”
It was Molica’s second game-winning overtime of the season. The first was against Verona. Columbia lost at Bloomfield, 2-1, on Thursday, Sept. 26. Sophomore Mason Beaupierre had the goal and senior Zac Calveric made seven saves for the Cougars.
Columbia won at Parsippany Hills, 5-2, on Saturday, Sept. 28.
Rios-Valdez had two goals. Sophomore Sam Brash had a goal and an assist. Senior Riley Walsman and junior Simon Hecht each had a goal. Junior Jesse Fryatt, Molica and senior Owen Belisle each had an assist. Sophomore Jasper Harris made four saves.
The Cougars tied Newark East Side, 2-2, on Monday, Sept. 30, in Newark. Fryatt and Molica each had a goal. Brash had an assist. Calveric made eight saves.
Columbia moved to a 4-3-2 record.
The Cougars will host Dover on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m. and host Cranford on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 4:15 p.m.
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