It’s been a familiar refrain all season for the Newburgh Free Academy boys’ soccer team.

They would play well in certain phases of the game but have been plagued by an inability to get the ball in the goal, and that cost the Goldbacks in both meetings with the Monroe-Woodbury Crusades.

The Goldbacks suffered another 1-0 loss to the Crusaders on Friday afternoon at Monroe-Woodbury High School in an Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I contest.

“That’s just been the story of our season,” Newburgh coach Matt Iorlano said. “We don’t put the ball in the net. I thought, especially in the second half, we played really well. We had those two point-blankers right there. You’ve got to put one of those in.”

The Goldbacks had an opportunity to tie the game three minutes into the second half when Newburgh’s Dennis Ayala sent a direct kick into the 18-yard box. The ball caromed off Monroe-Woodbury Parker Giles several times, but the Goldbacks couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity.

With less than 22 minutes to go, Newburgh’s Thomas Koziak blasted a shot wide to the left, and with under 13 minutes left, Ayala sent another direct kick into the box. However, all of the Newburgh players missed the ball, which went through the 18-yard box. Giles made five saves.

“We’re doing everything well until we get to the final third,” Iorlano said. “That final third has just been a mystery for us all season long. Maybe we’ll break out sooner or later. We’ve got three more games to go before sections. Maybe one of these games, we will find a way to put it in the back of the net.”

The Goldbacks have two left now as they played a home game against the Washingtonville Wizards, who are leading Division II, at the Capelli Sports Complex in Chester.

It turned into another 1-0 loss.

The Crusaders got on the board in the 29th minute when Logan Yamamoto dribbled the ball to the right across the 18-yard box and tucked a shot inside the left goalpost to give the Crusaders’ the only goal they would need.

“It was a good, crisp shot,” Iorlano said. “It ricocheted one of my guys’ backs and deflected the other way,” Iorlano said. Otherwise, Andreas might have been able to save that, but I don’t know. When the foot goes one way and it deflects another way, it’s tough.”

They nearly gave up another with just seconds to go when Aaron Deskin appeared to score a goal, but it was disallowed cause Deskin was ruled to be offsides.
Newburgh goalkeeper Andreas Gillmeier made five saves.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating, but we played well so they can’t be too upset,” Iorlano said.