Jiffy Lube slips by Ross Built for the win

The Center opened another co-ed adult soccer season hot off the heels of the summer season where Sato Real Estate earned the championship. Week one, once again, found Sato’s team with the last victory of the night against Moss Builders with the final score 4-2.

The kickoff game was a tough start for Eason Builders Group with only seven players in the game. Despite a close first half, the team in Carolina blue just could not hold on against Kris Yavalar’s Lancaster Design.

Newly sponsored team AMI Locals faced off against Slim’s Place in the third game of the night. Proving the league looks to be eight closely matched teams, the 8 p.m. game ended in a 4-4 tie.

The matchup between Ross Built Construction and Jiffy Lube started with the Ross Built squad looking to run away with the game.

Two minutes into the game, Connor Bystrom struck swift against Mike Brusso in the goal. After a save by Ross Built’s goalkeeper Robb Marshall in a sea of red offensive players, big man Vince Circharo placed the soccer ball toward the net, with Bystrom sealing the deal to put their team up 2-0.

Out of league retirement, Nathan Kragt for Team Jiffy Lube took a shot that sailed just over the net.

Brusso made another nice save off the strike by former teammate Bystrom. Soon after, Bystrom hit his third shot of the game at the 11th minute, giving Ross Built Construction a three-goal lead.

The third opponent goal lit a fire under the Jiffy Lube offensive squad. Jiffy Lube’s Ricky Anderson warmed up his leg with his first strike only to be saved by Marshall.

Minutes later Anderson’s teammate Steve Oelfke nailed his shot in the lower left corner of the goal taking the score to 3-1.

Anderson quickly found his sweet spot with a goal of his own, decreasing the Jiffy Lube deficit to one point.

Brusso left the goal to be replaced by Michael Lewis. Lewis found himself on his toes quickly with another Bystrom-Kragt attack.

Lewis’ save was followed by another advance to the goal by Anderson. Anderson’s would be tying shot was brilliantly saved by Marshall.

After a mid-field shot by Circharo, Bystrom scored his fourth and final goal of the game with no time on the scoreboard to end the half.

The second half of the game started off slow with eight minutes of play before Ross Built Construction’s Stephen Adair scored his solo goal, once again giving his team a three-point lead.

Team Jiffy Lube’s reputation of non-stop running and endurance to be envied proved valuable in their second-half comeback. In the 35th minute of the game, Kragt found himself one-on-one against Marshall for his second goal in the game, advancing the score to 5-3.

The last 10 minutes of the game was fast-paced and furious with Ross Built working to keep the lead and Jiffy Lube fighting for the win.

For their last goal of the game, Bystrom’s throw in went off the head of Circharo, giving Ross Built Construction the sixth point.

Jiffy Lube’s Eliza Faillace made her moves on the field for a goal of her own. Erin Felipe gave a strong defensive showing throughout the entire game. Her heads-up play opened up the field allowing Felipe to pass to Bystrom, whose shot went just wide of the post.

With a little more than three minutes left on the scoreboard, Anderson lit up the field with two quick goals that tied the game and energized the Island’s community center.

Kragt sealed the deal with his final goal with no time on the clock, turning the official time over to the referee.

Despite a final fight by the Ross Built Construction team, Jiffy Lube finished the game as the victors.