Junior Thiago Rubino delivered a perfectly timed pass to senior Santi Cuervo. Cuervo skillfully slipped past the last defender, slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal with his left foot, extending the Tigers’ lead, and sealed the eventual victory. 

Boys’ soccer defeated Natick 2-0 at North’s backfield Tuesday, Sept. 10, gaining their first win of the season. Cuervo, a captain alongside senior Ross Toma, was the man of the match and led the team to victory by scoring both goals.

The game kicked off with North on the back foot, as Natick dominated possession on the Tiger side of the pitch. According to Toma, the team was struggling with man-to-man defense.

“We just kept getting beat,” said Toma. 

Natick had multiple shot attempts early, including a risky free kick at the top of the box North’s defense remained resilient as junior Peter Reale and senior Seth Rao, anchoring the backline, continued to clear the ball. 

On the other hand, North struggled to capitalize on their early opportunities, with a couple of failed shot attempts as they were repeatedly forced to their weaker left side. Despite this, the Tigers managed to put one shot on goal but Natick’s goalie made a spectacular save to keep them scoreless.

Heading into the second half, the Tigers came out with a renewed intensity, eager to pull ahead. Their increased aggression paid off almost immediately as Cuervo netted two quick goals, setting the tone for the rest of the game. 

Natick had a couple of close attempts of their own, and although one shot found the back of the net, it was celebrated too soon before referees discounted it due to an offsides call.

Despite North’s 0-3 record coming into the game, head coach Roy Dow had full confidence in his team. “We just had to start passing better once we got the ball down the field and it turned the game in our favor,” he said.

In the last ten minutes of the game, Natick launched a series of desperate shots. Senior Gabino Talisayon stood strong in goal, preserving North’s lead until the final second.

“After the half everything was just working out better, especially passing,” said Cuervo. “I knew we could do it.”