Boys soccer: Early goal, strong defense leads Buckeye to win over Copley

YORK TWP. — The Buckeye boys soccer team struck early before using a solid defensive effort and tremendous play from keeper Hunter Uehlien on Saturday to knock off Copley 1-0 in a non-league game. Pushing the pace from the opening kick, the Bucks (2-2-1) scored the only goal 9:06 in when Rhys Cielma outran the defense after a long feed from Brody Winter and found the back of the net. "That first goal was crucial," Cielma said. "That is what got us up and got them down. We were fighting to get that one point over them." The goal came on the Bucks' first shot and put the Indians (2-3-1) into chase mode the rest of the way. Buckeye kept up the offensive pressure through the first half, but Copley went to another gear in the second. "We had to work together," Cielma said. "We had to work from the back, up through the midfield, get upside and find the center guy. We did that through the entire half." Buckeye's backline and Uehlien were more than up to the task. The majority of the Copley attempts were from distance, with many sailing over the top post or easily hauled in. "It was our composure," Bucks defender Cael Miller said. "We tried to stay as level-headed as possible with each other. Our communication through Nate (Tessman) and I and through (Uehlien) as well was the biggest thing." The one that wasn't, though, was when Uehlien made the play of the game and preserved the narrow Buckeye lead. Moving left to right in front of the net, Indians midfielder Nicholas King fired a shot towards the inside of the right post. Uehlien dove and got his left hand in front of the ball and deflected it wide, making a critical save to keep the lead with 35 minutes left to play. "That comes from when I was freshman," said Uehlien, who had seven saves. "I was a big kid, and just being out on the field under the lights it means the world to me." Dylan Labbe made seven saves for the Indians. Contact Chad Grant at sports@medina-gazette.com. Buckeye 1, Copley 0 COPLEY&emsp;0 0 — 0 BUCKEYE&emsp;1 0 — 1 First B — Rhys Cielma (Brody Winter), 30:54. Shots on goal — Copley 7, Buckeye 8. Corner kicks — Copley 5, Buckeye 2. Saves — Dylan Labbe (C) 7, Hunter Uehlien (B) 7. Records — Copley (2-3), Buckeye (2-2-1). Junior varsity — Copley 5, Buckeye 1.