Aferiat Shoots Chargers Into Title Game 6-4
CHANTILLY, VA - All year long, undefeated Chantilly has coasted, riding an undefeated season into the 2nd round of the Concorde District boy's lacrosse tournament, Monday night in Chantilly. That includes a dominating 13-2 performance, earlier in the season, over their backyard rivals in Westfield. But this recent rematch, a "go-round" in the playoffs, was different. Facing a hot goalie in Ross Lavin, and an unyielding zone defense, the Chargers were now the ones stumbling, looking as they might slip-up for the first time this year.
Wrong!
Instead, the flawless Chargers battled through the tough road, and prevailed once again by the score of 6-4. With the win, Chantilly now moves on to the Concorde District championship against Oakton, which will be played at Robinson this Friday night.
Advancing to the championship, however, came hard, but well earned. Ahead 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, Westfield had employed a zone defense which stifled the once potent Chantilly offense that came in averaging 13.7 goals per game. Instead it was the Bulldogs getting the upper hand in the offensive department. Two goals by midfielder Patrick Knowlan and another by Eric Alter gave the Bulldogs the lead in the first quarter--one they would not relinquish until the second half.
What helped savor the Westfield lead was the curveball thrown by head coach Gary Malm, when he employed his zone defense starting in the second quarter. The plan worked to perfection. The Chargers were held to zero goals in the quarter and were instead facing a 3-2 deficit entering the second half.
What also didn't help matters for Chantilly was the goaltending of Westfield's Lavin. Able to make several one-on-one saves in close, Lavin was able to preserve the Westfield lead for much of the way.
Unfortunately, Lavin couldn't hold the fort down much longer. Attackman Corey Aferiat was there knocking on the door and delivered in a big way. Putting up two goals in the third quarter, he put his team back on even ground, at 4-4, following another goal by Westfield's Alter.
Aferiat wasn't done there however. With his team looking to take the lead for good, the Chantilly attacker again answered the call by putting the game winner past Lavin at the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter. The goal was Aferiat's fourth on the night, and his last couldn't come at a bigger time.
With a 5-4 lead late in the game, Chantilly put the final nail in the coffin with a minute left when attackman Joe Fratter tallied his first of the night.
The final score would stand at 6-4 and Chantilly's perfect season would stay intact as they moved to 12-0 on the season. For Westfield, they drop to 8-5 and will now play the Patriot District champion next Tuesday in the first round of the regional tournament.
The Concorde Championship meanwhile will be decided this Friday at Robinson, which will be broadcast live and worldwide on the Gameday Radio Network starting at 7:00 PM.
Chick-Fil-A Player Of The Game
Corey Aferiat - Senior Attack\Middie, Chantilly Chargers
Aferiat scored 4 goals on the night for his Chargers, equaling the total goal output by his Westfield counterparts. Aferiat controlled the ball deftly from the X position on the night, and was pivitol to Chantilly's advancing to the Concorde championship game.
