Chaminade and St. Anthony’s Soccer Tie in First 2012 Meeting

It took all of 90 minutes on the pitch at Ott Field Tuesday afternoon under an overcast and threatening sky and still nothing was decided. Typical for a match between Chaminade and St. Anthony’s, no matter what sport you might happen to be playing at the time.

“The elements were interesting,” Flyers head coach Mike Gallagher said, just as soon talking about the weather as what transpired on the field. “We’re waiting for a monsoon and we get a lot of wind and some grey. In these conditions, it is what it is.”

Friars coach Don Corrao said just about the same thing, showing the teams are just in about as much lock-step as you can be.

“Little tough weather here today,” Corrao said. “Got to adapt to the environment.”

Even if that environment happens to be slightly more charged than usual, as just inside the four-minute mark St. Anthony’s (2-0-1) defender Mark Jecewk was issued a yellow card for attempting to get the ball from Flyer goalkeeper Brian Westerman inside the box.

“I was just questioning it because you’re allowed to challenge with your head at the goalkeeper but his explanation was that the goalkeeper had clear possession so if the goalkeeper has the ball then you can’t try to knock it out of his hand and that’s what he was claiming,” Gallagher said.

“We didn’t think it was a card,” Corrao said. “We thought both players went for the ball and both went down.”

Chaminade (1-0-1) managed to only get one shot on goal from midfielder Ethan Ellsworth while the Friars managed four, including two from midfielder Chris Wood.

“Connor (McElhinney) did an all right job for us today,” Corrao said, noting that the senior played the match with an injury. “He just didn’t have his A-game today. He’ll be allright.”

Meanwhile Westerman made his debut after breaking his hand earlier this year.

“I thought Brian played well he commanded it back there,” Gallagher said, “this is only his second match. He played one half over the weekend and coming back from the broken hand. It’s working.”

Added Corrao: “your goalkeepers could put a ball in the box from one end to another; that doesn’t happen (often).

Except between the Friars and Flyers. Which is typical.