By JON WEBB
Special to the Daily Times
GLASGOW —
Three early Greenwood goals nullified a Barren County second-half defensive lockdown as the Trojans fell to the Gators 3-0 Thursday night.
Greenwood’s Nedin Zukanovic compiled all three scores within the game’s initial 10 minutes. Considering the Gators’ ranking in the state (5th), Barren County head coach Lawrence Nyekan said he was impressed with his team’s effort.
“The second half effort was better, but the first half wasn’t bad,” he said. “We just didn’t put on the pressure.”
Zukanovic certainly didn’t feel any at the dawn of the matchup. The foward slipped behind the Trojan defense to net his first score barely two minutes into the contest. The second followed in quick succession, as Zukanovic weaved into the heart of Barren territory and fired a successful kick just past the outreached arms of keeper Cade Lowry.
After the pair of the quick goals, the momentum briefly swung Barren’s way. A long, leading pass from Justin Beaty splashed directly in between Greenwood’s approaching keeper and a sprinting Tyler Hammer. The keeper won the race, however, erasing the opportunity.
The Trojans kept the ball at midfield for a few minutes before the Gators made another run into Barren territory. A centering pass found its way to Zukanovic, who got an angle on defender Dustin Williams and managed to boot the ball centimeters below Taylor Austin’s extended leg and Lowry’s diving torso to fatten the net for his third score.
Thanks to Lowry, though, it would be his last. The Barren offense struggled to infiltrate Greenwood’s side of the field, but the Trojans’ goalkeeper disallowed any ballooning of a first half lead due to three saves in the half’s final 10 minutes. Lowry proved impervious in the second frame as well, piling up 11 saves in the final half alone.
The Trojans’ offense escalated in the second as well. Early in the last 40 minutes, Greenwood’s keeper bobbled a save and briefly allowed the ball to lazily roll behind his ankles. Beaty sprinted toward the loose ball, but didn’t make it in time. Another opportunity arrived when Beaty, Hammer and T.A. Wells dribbled and passed their way deep into Greenwood territory. The Gators broke up the triumvirate just before the three could attempt a shot.
Barren’s best chance for a goal came courtesy of Beaty as well, when the midfielder squeezed down the far line and booted a long, winding shot that flew right into the keeper’s clasped hands.
None of the opportunities ever rendered a goal, though, as the Trojans fell 3-0.
The loss came just two days after Barren was routed by region opponent Bowling Green 9-0. In 2009, the Trojans played the Purples to a 1-1 tie. The difference between this year and last, Nyekan said, lies in the Trojans’ roster.
“We just have a lot of young, new players,” he said. “Communication and being supportive is key to being a total team. We have to make sure (our bench players) aren’t just being spectators.
“We’ll come around. The two toughest games are out of the way, and we’re growing.”
Barren will see just how much on Tuesday when the team welcomes 1-2 Monroe County.
