Last Friday the Elizabethton Cyclones boys soccer team was stunned at home by Sullivan South in a 3-nil loss. On Tuesday evening the Cyclones righted the ship with a 2-nil conference win over University High at Citizens Bank Stadium.

Senior forward Chris Schaff had a goal and an assist in this one and was outstanding in this match with three shots on goal.

“Chris played really well tonight,” Cyclones head coach Bill McClay said. “That position requires someone who is willing to play back to goal and try to hold the play up and make those little passes through. Our effort tonight – the effort was there – but our passing lacked a little precision.”

EHS (6-1, 4-1 conference) got on the board in the fourth minute with Schaff drilling a ball past Junior Buccaneers goalkeeper Luke Wexler. Sophomore Teagan Bernshausen got the assist on the crossing pass that Schaff was able to finish.

University High out shot the Cyclones 3-2 in the first half of this match and EHS nearly made a critical mistake when junior defender Benedict Seiffert had possession inside the Cyclones penalty area and played the ball back to goalkeeper Noah Lovelace who didn’t appear to be looking for it.

Lovelace tried to clear the ball but hit it directly to Malachi Heath in the middle of the field just inside the big box. Heath was not able to capitalize as his shot went wide of the mark.

In the second half, Schaff had two shots that nearly gave EHS a two-goal lead with the first being handled by Wexler and the second striking the crossbar and coming straight down while not crossing the goal line.

“We were trying to move the ball side to side,” McClay said. “But he was just too close to the defender. We did well with both goals coming off crossing passes down the side, which is something we talked about doing.”

In the 57th-minute, freshman Evan Fulmer finished off a crossing pass from Schaff who was crashing in from Wexler’s left. Schaff struck a pass on the ground that struck an UH defender’s foot and caromed into the air from where Fulmer just touched the ball on the back side of Wexler with his chest to push it across the line.

EHS will remain home on Thursday with a 6 pm match against Dobyns-Bennett and will travel to Church Hill on Friday for a 4:30 pm match against Volunteer.

EHS 2-0

University High 0 0 – 0

Elizabethton 1 1 – 2

Scoring Summary

First Half

E – Schaff (assist T. Bernshausen) 4:00

Second Half

E – Fulmer (assist Schaff) 57:00

Yellow Cards EHS ( T. Bernshausen) 47:00, UH (Gantz) 65:00, UH (White) 67:00