Pullen’s Acqua Aveda pulls out win

Under the dark sky at the Island’s community center field with the end of Daylight Saving Time, adult co-ed soccer started the second week of play. The first game of the night went down to the last seconds with Team Acqua Aveda, led by captain Eric Pullen, winning the game.

Wash Family Construction remains winless, but with a full and healthy roster on the field, Kris Yavalar’s team will surely put Ws in the statistics book. Playing last week without first round pick Matt Kretzmann and third rounder Aaron Parkin, Team Wash Family stayed in the game, fighting to the end of the game.

Just seconds into the first half of play, Nathan Kragt scored his first goal of the night, giving Acqua Aveda the quick lead.

Both offenses were forced to play at the top of their game with defensive pressure from their opponent and tough goalies on each end of the field. Goalkeeper Will Case had seven amazing saves for Team Acqua Aveda, while league veteran Jason Sato was credited with five score stopping saves of his own.

With five minutes left on the clock, Sean Flynn threw in the soccer ball with the power and distance equal to any free kick to teammate Nate Talucci. Talucci’s scoring header was his first on the pitch at The Center in his many seasons of play. The Flynn Talucci connection increased Acqua Aveda’s lead by two goals.

Striking hard, Team Wash Family Construction continued to play hard with a goal by Alf Klotz. Klotz took the ball from midfield with Steve Oelfke hot on his heels to take the score to 2-1 just before the close of the first half of play.

Taking advantage of the Wash Family limited roster, Acqua Aveda came back into the game in the second half with a vengeance. Kragt hit the net with a quick goal, repeating efforts from the first half, advancing the score to 3-1. With 18 minutes left in the game, Talucci made his second goal off the assist by Pullen, his second assist of the night.

Yavalar, who lead a team to championship victory two seasons ago, put the spunk back into his team with a spot on corner kick to Chelsea Hoffner. Hoffner’s goal sparked Wash Family Construction to strike hard and strike quick.

Hoffner found the ball back at her feet after strong passing by her team to put her in scoring position once again. Hoffner’s shot was just wide, hitting the right post.

Klotz came back to the net with nine minutes on the clock for his second goal of the night, decreasing Acqua Aveda’s lead to just one point.

As the seconds continued to tick off of the scoreboard, team captain Yavalar made the tying goal after goalie Case’s luck ran out. Case inadvertently fed the ball back to Yavalar allowing him to strike and move the score to 4-4.

Just as Wash Family thought it would walk away from the game with a tie in the record books, Pullen fed his third assist of the game to big man Flynn with a shot that Sato just could not stop. The game-winning goal gave Team Acqua Aveda a season record of 1-1, with six regular season games left.

Pullen’s team faces his former squad Ross Built Construction this week at 9 p.m., and Wash Family Construction plays Team Anna Maria CrossFit at 8 p.m.

Sun Scoreboard
Monday, Nov. 7

Youth Soccer: 6-to 7-Year-Old League

Signarama 2
Blalock Walters 0

Bin There Dumped That 3
Air & Energy 3

Youth Soccer: 11-to 14-Year-Old League

Progressive Cabinetry 3
Tyler’s Ice Cream 3

Tuesday, Nov. 8

Youth Soccer: 8-to 10-Year-Old League

Bin There Dumped That 3
Gulf Bay Realty 2

Cloud Pest Control 3
Mason Martin Builders 4

Adult Basketball

Harry’s Grill 80
Mike Walter & Associates 76

Intechgrate Systems23
Blake Medical 34

Beach To Bay BYE

Thursday, Nov. 10

Adult Co-Ed Soccer

Acqua Aveda 5
Wash Family Construction 4

Mason Martin 9
Slim’s Place 2

Ross Built Construction 4
Anna Maria CrossFit 4