Crusaders soccer outplays the Bushmen for another win
Central Valley. This marked the Crusaders’ ninth shutout of the season.
| 18 Oct 2023 | 09:48
The 2023 Crusaders varsity soccer team celebrates their seniors after the game. (
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Carlos Perez Turcios’ speed has kept the Crusaders’ opponents on their heels all year. (
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Nick Almeida drilled this shot into the goal to put the Crusaders up 1-0. (
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On a sunny Friday afternoon, the Crusaders hosted the Pine Bush Bushmen in a league match. The Crusaders entered the game with a 10-1-1 record for the season after losing their last game 1-0 to Kingston. The Bushmen came with a 6-7-1 record for the season after tying Middletown in their last game 2-2.
The Crusaders beat the Bushmen in Pine Bush when the two teams met earlier in the season 5-0. The two teams battled to a scoreless first half with neither team able to establish control of the game. Less than 5 minutes into the second half the Crusaders’ offense got going when Nick Almeida took a quick pass from Sean Gilligan, and from just outside the 18, drilled it into the Bushmen net to put the Crusaders up 1-0. Then 8 minutes later, Crusader Lucas Ortiz took a shot on goal and the rebound came to Almeida; he scored his second goal of the game and the team was up 2-0.
The Crusaders were rolling now and Carlos Perez Turcios took a short pass from Derek Hipkins on the far sideline. From there Turcios popped the ball over the charging Bushmen goalie and the ball curled into the open goal and the Crusaders had a 3-0 lead. The Crusaders’ defense, led by defenseman Ibrahim Cela and goalie Parker Giles, kept the Bushmen off the board to record their ninth shutout of the season.
After the game the Crusaders celebrated the seniors on this year’s team with a brief ceremony with posters, flowers and parents. The Crusaders 3-0 victory brings their record to 11-1-1 for the season. Their next game will be Monday night when they travel to Newburgh to face the Goldbacks.