The final score looked comfortable.
Getting there was anything but.
Kirtland Boys Soccer had to work through an organized Crestwood defense Tuesday night, but the Hornets eventually broke through often enough to turn another strong defensive performance into a convincing 4-0 Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division victory.
Four different Hornets scored as Bram Crisci, Marko Valentic, Noah Zielaskiewicz and Karlo Cubela each found the net.
Cubela also assisted on two goals, giving him a hand in three of Kirtland’s four scores.
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The shutout was Kirtland’s third 4-0 victory of the season and its second in three games after blanking Berkshire by the same score Sept. 22.
Still, Kirtland coach John Valentic felt the score obscured just how difficult Crestwood made things.
“Obviously, I’ll applaud our defense and goalkeeping for keeping the shutout,” Valentic said. “We had a lot of chances; we were just hitting them at the goalie. We were not clean in our finishing, but they battled and made it very difficult for us. It was not an easy game. But when you come out with a 4-0 win, you’re still pretty satisfied.”
Hornets keep finding ways forward
Kirtland controlled plenty of the field between its own back line and Crestwood’s penalty area.
The difficult part was turning that possession into clean opportunities.
Crestwood stayed compact, clogged the dangerous areas and forced Kirtland to remain patient.
“I think we moved the ball really well,” Valentic said. “We had some nice give-and-goes, but in that final third, we just couldn’t get clean looks. They were good, they were organized, they were compact, and they bunkered in.
“The shots we did get were just not good enough. From the back line basically to the 18-yard box, we did a nice job, but we struggled to finish.”
Eventually, the Hornets’ depth proved too much.
Crisci continued one of the strongest offensive seasons in the area with his 16th goal. He now has 36 points, which ranks fourth among area players, while his 16 goals also rank fourth.
Valentic’s goal pushed him to 32 points on the season. He has 10 goals and 12 assists, with his assist total ranking second among area players.
Cubela’s two assists raised his season total to eight, tying him for ninth in the area, and his goal gave Kirtland another dangerous option beyond its two leading scorers.
Zielaskiewicz added another layer to that balance with his goal.
For a team that already has Crisci and Valentic among the area’s most productive offensive players, getting contributions from throughout the lineup only makes the Hornets harder to defend.
Defense delivers another clean sheet
While Kirtland continued pushing forward, its defense never allowed Crestwood to make a serious dent in the scoreboard.
Tage Crisci made four saves to preserve the shutout.
Valentic has been particularly pleased with the development of his goalkeeper beyond simply stopping shots.
“He’s always been a great shot stopper,” Valentic said. “What’s really improved this year is his communication and directing the defense. We have some young guys back there and some guys who haven’t had a lot of experience, and he’s doing a really nice job communicating what he needs out of them for us to stay organized.”
That organization has shown up repeatedly.
Kirtland also shut out Madison, 4-0, on Sept. 10 and Berkshire, 4-0, on Sept. 22.
The Hornets have now allowed just one goal over their last three games, with the lone blemish coming in a 1-0 loss at Beachwood on Sept. 24.
Tuesday’s response gave Kirtland another important conference victory.
The Hornets improved to 6-4-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the Valley Division.
Chagrin Falls has already clinched the division championship at 4-0, while Rootstown sits second at 3-1-1. Kirtland is third, just ahead of Lutheran West at 2-2.
Crestwood fell to 7-5-1 overall and 1-4 in division play.
Kirtland will get another Valley Division test Oct. 6 when Lutheran West visits.
And if the Hornets can pair their increasingly organized defense with a cleaner finishing touch, Tuesday’s four-goal margin might only hint at what the offense is capable of producing.
More Boys Soccer Coverage From OhioVarsity.com
Boys Soccer Match Result
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
5 Kirtland Hornets | 4 |
23 Crestwood Red Devils | 0 |
Top Performers
Kirtland
Player Stats
Kirtland
| Player | G | A | S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bram Crisci | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marko Valentic | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Noah Zielaskiewicz | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Karlo Cubela | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Tage Crisci | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Game Notes
Updated automatically through this result and the latest reported player stats.
