West Hempstead in tight contests

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It’s been an up-and-down season on the soccer pitch for West Hempstead, thus far. The solid Rams defense has been stingy, but the team’s dearth of scoring has resulted in each match being a nail biter. Seven of the team’s eight matches have either been decided by one goal or finished in a tie. 

After the team’s 1-1 draw with visiting Oyster Bay on Sept. 27, the Rams stand at 3-4-1 overall, 3-3-1 in Nassau Conference ABC3. Urosh Dimitrijevic’s first half goal, his second of the season, held up until Sahill Yadav buried the equalizer to tie things up for the Baymen. Senior keeper Deandre Mullen stopped six shots for West Hempstead. 

Head coach Chris Van Kovics is pleased with his team’s performance as it enters a pivotal point of the season. “I’m actually pleasantly surprised,” Van Kovics said. “I thought the defense would be tough, but it’s been even better than I expected. We’re limiting the opponent’s scoring opportunities, and our keeper is doing a great job when the defense gets beat. We still need to find a way to score more goals, but we’ve been very competitive.”

The Rams will need to be at their best over the next two weeks to earn a spot in the playoffs. West Hempstead will take on Cold Spring Harbor, Mineola, Seaford, Clarke, and Wheatley to close out the regular season. Securing a .500 record is required for playoff eligibility.

Strong play on the backline from senior sweeper Tarik Can and senior right back Tommy Lee has enabled West Hempstead to hold opponents to two goals or fewer in every match. Can, who also handles corner kicks for the Rams, marks well and is terrific in the air. Lee is strong and fast, and rarely makes a mistake.

Sophomore stopper Gerald Lopez has risen to the challenge of marking the opponent’s top scorer. Lopez has size and speed, and the versatility to play midfield. Terrell Figaro has done an excellent job at outside back, while fellow junior Matt Perciballi has been a reliable supersub for the defensive unit.

Mullen has been the team’s most improved player by far. He followed up a 12-save effort in a 1-0 loss to Carle Place by shutting out Locust Valley. “Deandre has really stepped up for us this season,” Van Kovics said. “We came into the season not knowing who our keeper would be. He hasn’t had a bad game. He’s vocal, has a great attitude, and has done everything he’s been asked to do.”

The offensive attack has been led by Dimitrijevic, Andres Salazar, Julio Ramirez, and Christino Maldonado. Salazar has three goals and three assists, while Ramirez leads the team with four goals, including all three tallies in a 3-2 victory at Valley Stream South. Van Kovics is quick to point out the solid play the team has received from senior Baha Zkout.

The Rams will welcome in Wheatley this Friday at 4:30 p.m.