Down 2-0 in the first half, the Bucs tie it then hold off the Mustangs' late flurry.
By STEVE LEE
Published December 20, 2003
NEW PORT RICHEY - Host Gulf failed to knock Mitchell from the unbeaten ranks but did prevent it from another win by rallying for a 2-2 tie Friday at Des Little Stadium.
"That's a pretty good team," Gulf coach Sam Koleduk said. Mitchell (4-0-4) nearly won the game with late pressure. The Mustangs had four shots during the final three minutes and might have pulled out a victory if not for a spectacular save by Cellen Neptune.
Neptune, a sophomore in his first season as a starter, leapt and got his right fingertips on a header by Andrew Dematos, who redirected Glenn Josephik's corner kick from the right side during the final flurry. "He made some key saves down the stretch," Mitchell coach Pio Rizzo said of Neptune, who made 13 saves. "He kept them in the game."
"He played awesome," Koleduk said. "He's probably one of the most athletic kids in the county in goal."
Trailing 2-1, Gulf (5-5-2) tied it on Novica Maric's goal in the 62nd minute. With his brother, Bosho, out after being red-carded in the 51st minute, Novica raced down the left side past two defenders and beat Matt Wegener to the far side for his county-leading 29th goal.
Two minutes later, Mitchell's Mike McDevitt received a red card, and the sides were even for the rest of the way.
"In the second half, we pushed an extra guy (primarily David Montanez) forward," Koleduk said. "We've been fighting back, which is good."
Ryan Villiard scored on a penalty kick and converted a pass from McDevitt to stake the Mustangs to a 2-0 lead by the 31st minute. Villiard's second goal, a header near the left post, gave him a team-high 14. In the 39th minute, Bosho Maric stole the ball from Chad Villiard, Ryan's brother, at the top of the penalty box and kicked it over Wegener's outstretched hands to pull the Bucs to within a goal. It was Bosho Maric's fifth goal.
