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Soccer is a sport played mostly with the grace and precision of one’s feet.
But it was the stroke of an arm that may have cost the Vandebilt boys’ soccer team its season on Saturday afternoon in their Division II semifinal match with St. Louis.
With the score tied at 1 late in the second half of the match, the Saints possessed the ball around midfield thanks to an apparent handball that was uncalled by the match’s officiating crew.
Still in control of the ball, St. Louis striker Will Solari fired a long-distance shot with the day’s brisk wind at his back – a ball that soared over the arms of Vandebilt goalie Patrick Watson and into the back of the net.
The beautiful shot gave the Saints a 2-1 lead and ultimately a victory.
The circumstances that allowed it to take place left the Terriers scratching their heads after the match was completed.
“It was a deliberate handball,” Vandebilt coach Matt Kelso said. “About 95 percent of the people in the stands saw it too. The guy took the ball down with his arm and then turned, set up and shot. The referee standing not even 20 yards from it saw it clear as day. … I don’t know how to explain that. I can’t explain that.”
The mysterious non-call put a dark cloud on what was a back and forth slugfest between two of the best prep soccer teams in Louisiana.
St. Louis had the wind in their face in the opening half – a serious disadvantage in the blustery conditions that were a major storyline in the match.
Despite the struggle, the Saints struck first on a goal by Jon Lorio in the sixth minute of the match to take a 1-0 lead.
The Terriers took control for most of the rest of the opening half, using the wind to keep the ball deep in St. Louis’ side of the field.
But Vandebilt was unable to square the match in the opening half, despite several close calls and flirtations with the net.
Kelso said he was pleased with the way his team responded from the early deficit, adding that St. Louis’ dominant defense was the reason the team couldn’t break through and cash in on its many opening half chances.
“St. Louis is a fantastic team,” Kelso said. “They are a great team and a great organization. Their defense was really difficult to penetrate.”
With the field flipped and St. Louis reaping the benefits of the wind, the second half looked like it could turn ugly for Vandebilt.
The Saints controlled the ball for most of the second half and threatened to expand its lead on multiple occasions.
Watson swatted all of the efforts away to keep the score within one goal.
With less than 10 minutes in the match, lightening finally struck for Vandebilt.
The Terriers took possession of the ball and marched it into St. Louis’ end for one of the only times in the half.
Vandebilt’s Austin Benton crossed the ball into the box and Grant Rodriguez put it into the net after St. Louis goalie Marcus McNamara misplayed the cross.
The score sent Buddy Marcello into a frenzy of cheers.
Those cheers turned into boos just seconds later as St. Louis’ golden goal came less than a minute after the Terriers tied the match.
Vandebilt pushed all of its efforts forward in the final minutes of the match to try and tie the score.
But they never seriously threatened the net, sending St. Louis to the state finals. The Terriers’ loss marked the fourth-straight season the Saints bounced Vandebilt from the playoffs.
Immediately following the match, a handful of Terriers’ players questioned the officials’ decision on the handball and were quickly restrained and ordered to the team’s locker room by Kelso.
The coach said he didn’t want to take anything from St. Louis’ victory, but added the teams deserved better from the officiating crew.
“For a single call like that to take away your season, it’s heartbreaking,” Kelso said. “This same crew has come in here and they’ve equated themselves very well. Everybody has a bad day at the office sometimes, I guess. Unfortunately for us, these guys chose to have theirs today.”
Officiating aside, the loss marks the end of eight Vandebilt seniors’ careers.
Kelso said he was proud of the sacrifice those players made for the program.
He added that he was proud of his entire team for the progression they made throughout the season.
“I’m so proud of the way our boys equated themselves – especially in the latter half of the year,” Kelso said. “This is why our boys come to Vandebilt – it’s for games like these. I’m a proud coach right now. I really am.
“We held strong, we fought back, we tied it and then we had it all taken away from us. It sort of is what it is, isn’t it? But when you go through the shame and humility of losing, that’s what makes you a champion in the end. One day, that’s going to happen again for us. We’ll get back here and we’ll find a different result the next time that we do.”
Vandebilt Catholic went the distance in its effort to avenge three-straight playoff losses to St. Louis. But when the final whistle sounded in the match, the Terriers were one goal behind on the scoreboard thanks in part to an apparent handball that was uncalled by officials. The loss sent Vandebilt short of the state title. Even in defeat, Coach Matt Kelso said he is proud of the Terriers’ effort.
