Power player: Ascencio scores three

Amherst’s Jon Ascencio provide all the warm the Lancers’ boys’ soccer team needed on damp, chilly, Thursday by scoring three of Amherst’s four goals in the Lancers’ 4-2 victory over visiting Nelson County.

The Amherst senior forward was a constant threat that pressured the Governors’ defense all night, but it was his finishing that stood out. Ascencio had only a handful of shots but still managed to score the hat trick.

“Jon is a returning second-team all-region player and we know what he can do with ball at his feet and he showed it tonight,” Lancers’ coach Tom McBride said. “He has great skills and great finishing play.”

“(Ascencio) is a really good player and had a really good game,” Nelson County coach Jeff Harris said.

It didn’t take long for Ascencio to make his presence felt as he got on the end of Matt Payne’s through ball and sent a shot that thundered off the cross bar in the seventh minute of the match.

But, it was Payne that got the Lancers on the board first in the 12th minute as he looked up, caught the Governors’ goalkeeper too far off his line and from about 35 yards out floated a shot into the upper ninety, just inside the far post.

However, it didn’t take long for the Governors to answer as Juan Garcia collected a ball at the top of the penalty area that was poorly cleared up the middle after a corner kick. Garcia sent a missile past the Lancers’ sprawling goalkeeper to level the match at 1-1 in the18th minute.

Ascencio began his assault just before the end of the first half as he tracked down a ball and fired shot past the keeper just inside the far post to give Amherst a 2-1 lead going into the break.

“It made it a uneven game and we were chasing it the whole second half,” Harris said. “It made it difficult.”

Ascencio extended the Lancers’ lead to 3-1 just six minutes into the second half when had a deflected clearance bounce right to him. He calmly turned on goal and hammered the shot home from about six yards out.

But, for the second time Garcia struck again to keep Nelson close. He scored off a free kick that deflected off of Amherst’s wall in the 50th minute cutting the Lancers’ lead to 3-2.

“Garcia had two beautiful goals tonight,” Harris said. “It wasn’t a surprise because he is capable of ding that and it is good sign that he did it in the first game.”

Amherst finally put the game away when Payne and Ascencio connected for a second time. Payne placed a perfectly weighted ball over the Governors’ backline and Ascencio burst through a pair of defenders and won the race with Nelson’s goalie to the ball. Ascencio then chipped the keeper who was caught in no man’s land to make the score 4-2 with 13 minutes to play.

“Our goal was to dominate the midfield and send it through but at times we got caught up in knocking it around and playing kickball,” McBride said. “When we settled in and played our game I thought we were much more effective.”

“We’re happy. Anytime you can beat a quality soccer team like Nelson you’re happy.”

“Our kids played great heart we just made some unfortunate mistakes,” Harris said.

The Lancers also won the junior varsity game against the visiting Governors. Amherst Aaron Gibson ran onto a through ball by Jarrett Hannan with 16 minutes left in the scoreless match. Gibson’s shot was partially blocked by Nelson’s goalie but continued to roll towards far post as a pair of Governors defender raced to clear the ball off the line. However, neither defender could get a foot to ball and prevent the goal as the Lancers (2-0) picked up the 1-0 victory.