By DAN HOEHNE
daniel.hoehne@newssun.com
Tim Boulay's soccer charges were upset with themselves after their Tuesday night match in the Pre-Season Classic consolation finale - though not due to a poor effort.
In fact, it was just the opposite, as the team bounced back from Monday's 3-2 loss to Bartow to boot Lakeland, 3-1.
"We played a much better game," Boulay said. "They guys weren't too happy, they were saying if they'd have played this way last night, they would have been in the championship game. And with the way we were playing, we'd have given Auburndale a really good game."
Scoring for the Blue Streaks were Buck Schroeder and Octavio Galvan, each netting their second goal in as many matches, as well as Gustavo Galvan, while Octavio and Cody Watson each helped out with an assist.
The Sebring defense stepped up as well, especially with goalkeeper Jesse Ouverson out with a deep thigh bruise suffered in Monday's match.
"Ethan Smith, a freshman, was in the net for us," Boulay said. "At first, we might have thought that would be our weak link, so the defense really hustled and helped him out."
Which resulted in Lakeland getting just nine shots on goal for the game, compared to the 20 that the Streaks peppered the Dreadnaught keeper with.
Smith was up to the challenge, however, recording eight saves and giving up a lone second-half goal - after the game was all but decided with a 3-0 Sebring lead.
The first Blue Streak score saw the Galvan brothers team up with Octavio sending a pass past the Lakeland defense toward the left-front of the goal.
Gustavo took his brother's pass and one-timed it into the net to open the scoring.
Senior Schroeder, held without a first-half goal, switched to the "lucky cleats" that helped him to 19 goals last season.
The "luck" took about ten minutes to have an effect as it was that long into the second half before Schroeder flashed past the Dreadnaught defense and took it in for a score.
Sebring's third score came on a rebounded boot by the elder Galvan, Octavio.
Watson dribbled the ball up the right side and sent a booming blast in from thirty yards out.
It didn't quite find the net, ricocheting off the sidepost, but the carom did find Galvan's foot to send it into the twine.
With the quick recovery from the opening loss, the Streaks ended the pre-season on a positive note as they ready to face Osceola Tuesday night at Firemen's Field for a 7 p.m. match to open both the regular and district season.
Friday, November 06, 2009 - www.newssun.com/FRI-11-06-SebSoccer