Merrimack Valley, behind a dynamic second-half start, forced a 2-2 draw with reigning Division II state champion Oyster River.
A rematch of the D-II state semifinal from a season ago, the 2021 bout proved to be much more competitive.
Michael Mullen was integral in MV’s second-half resurgence and flexed in his role as one of the leaders on the pitch during Thursday’s game. The junior midfielder took advantage of an Oyster River defensive miscommunication where a defender and the goalie thought the ball was closer than it was.
Mullen took advantage of the misplay and ripped a shot into the wide-open net from about 15 yards out.
His awareness of the miscommunication resulted in a noticeable attitude change for the Pride. From a more vocal sideline calling out what the Bobcats were doing to simple high fives after both good and bad plays, MV played with a new sense of swagger.
With increased confidence and excitement, the Pride quickly scored another goal to even the score and for the remainder of the second half the game featured back and forth moments.
If the Pride can put together complete games with the style of play they had in the second half, they can make some noise in the Division II standings and coach Ken Fuller is plenty aware of that.
“We played a great second half,” he said. “Whenever we can figure out those first 20 minutes (of a game), we’ll be in really good shape.”
To do that, however, MV has to shake the first-half jitters like it had against the Bobcats. Most of the opening half it spent ample time with over half the 11-player squad defending the goal from a persistent Bobcat attack.
Freshman defender Eli Wormald slid into the absent goalie box when actual goalkeeper Jack Wormald played a ball close to 10 yards away.
While the pseudo-goalie was unable to stop Oyster River from scoring, his instinct to fill the gap was a positive for an out-of-sorts moment – especially from a freshman.
Further break downs, including a penalty deep in their zone, led to an Oyster River penalty kick that gave it a 2-0 lead that it held for the rest of the first half.
Playing the reigning champions just the third game into the season certainly holds its advantages and disadvantages, but for the Pride to rally in the second half and force a golden goal game is something that can build a foundation for a successful year.
“I really feel that we can play with any team,” Fuller said. “When we play like that we’re going to be really hard to beat, but it’s getting all 11 guys on the field and on the same page. When they do it, it looks good.”
MV will have the chance to figure it out again on Sept. 7 when it hosts Sanborn for a 5 p.m. start.