Brunswick boys soccer holds off Edward Little

Brunswick senior defender Eben White, right, celebrates with Brunswick senior midfielder Finn White, after assisting on his brother’s goal during the Dragons’ 3-2 win over Edward Little on Tuesday in Auburn. (Cooper Sullivan/Staff Photographer)

AUBURN — The Edward Little boys soccer team found its offensive footing with two goals in the final 15 minutes Tuesday against Brunswick.

Unfortunately for the Red Eddies, the Dragons’ offense was clicking earlier.

Oliver Gorchoff scored twice in the opening nine minutes, Finn White gave Brunswick a three-goal lead before halftime, and the Dragons held on for a 3-2 win.

Brunswick remained unbeaten at 4-0. Edward Little fell to 2-2, losing its second straight one-goal game.

“We certainly made it far more exciting than we needed to,” Brunswick coach Mark Roma said. “I thought we played really well in the first half, and I don’t think we played poorly in the second half. I think it just shows what a dangerous team they are. If you let down your focus, (make) a mistake, they would capitalize.”

After gaining a 2-0 lead, Brunswick’s defense started to drop back and give space while maintaining control of the game’s pace.

Edward Little took the pitch with urgency after the halftime break and broke through in the 67th minute. Brunswick’s Edgar Meardon (six saves) couldn’t hang on to a corner kick and the ball bounced in front of the goal line. Edward Little’s Orrin Slover kicked it out of the scrum and off the chest of Brunswick defender Brendan Shaw for the goal.

Edward Little struck again in the 71st minute. Meardon made a top-shelf save, only to watch Adrian Benedict Otim reach the loose ball first for a tap-in.

“It’s a simple formula, really,” Edward Little coach Max Thompson said. “Which is, you start feeling good about the way you’re playing, you get a little bit more in your step, your challenges are a little bit better, and you’re just playing with more pace. So I think the boys started feeling better in the second half, and that started to snowball in a positive direction.”

The hosts had two more solid chances to tie in the final five minutes, but Brunswick’s defense thwarted the opportunities.

All three of Brunswick’s goals came near the same spot on the right side of the box.

On the first goal, Gorchoff sped past Edward Little defenders, then made a quick move back inside and sent a left-foot shot inside the near post.

White scored in the 30th minute off a feed through traffic from his brother, Eben.

“It wasn’t so much that we were looking for that (spot),” Roma said. “OG and (midfielder) Liam (Rapoza) and Finn, those guys are just really creative players. I mean, they’re able to take whatever the defense gives them. They sort of take advantage of it.”

Max Kimble made six saves for the Red Eddies.