By Jordan J. Michael

BERNE –– The Bulldogs boys’ soccer team knew what Galway had to offer before the game even started.

“Galway is a highly skilled team and they’ve scored 50 goals this season,” said Head Coach Jim Gillis. “My team has 13 goals and Galway has three players with 13 goals. We know they will find the net.”

Galway was the Class C Regional champion in 2007 and was led by All-State player Steven Wilday. The team has only one loss so far on the season. BKW was coming off a win over Duanesburg.

“Even though we haven’t scored many goals, the defense has kept us in games all season,” said Gillis.

The Bulldogs ended up losing the game, 6 to 2, but Gillis saw the fight in his team. “It was a 4-2 game, disregard the last two goals. We outplayed Galway in the second half and had lots of opportunities,” he said.

Galway busted out of the gate early, scoring two goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. Lake Gibbins put one past BKW goalie Greg Hannay at 32:57 and Wilday scored on an uncontested shot, 54 seconds later.

“We weren’t stepping to the ball in the first half. We just stood and watched Galway shoot the ball,” Gillis said.

Hannay had an amazing game, making six saves on plays that would have been goals anywhere else. “He’s a fantastic athlete and he’s been big all season long,” said Gillis. “Galway would have scored 12 goals if he wasn’t in net for us.”

Matt VonHaugg put the Bulldogs on the board with a goal at 30:13. Galway keeper J.T. Montague missed the through ball and VonHaugg had an easy touch. Ten minutes had barely gone by before three goals were scored.

Wilday scored his second goal of the game at 28:00 to give Galway a 3-1 lead. Wilday showed worthy ball skills in the game, living up to his reputation. “You can’t stop him. You can only hope to contain him,” Gillis said.

BKW continued to let Galway fire off shots, but Hannay went out of his way to bail the team out, making save after save.

Trevor Gibbins got the ball past Hannay after his teammate Will Roy hit a corner kick right to his foot. Galway had a 4-to-1 lead at halftime. “We had a problem with pace in the first half,” said Gillis. “However, we were surviving and very much in the game.”

The Bulldogs would have to figure out a way to disrupt Galway’s precision ball control in the second half.

BKW had a strong showing early on in the second half, holding the ball in Galway’s third of the field. Jacob Tambasco hit a direct kick on goal that was saved, but the ball bounced out for a rebound. The rebound shot missed the net by inches.

Curtis Clark got the Bulldogs back into the game after he headed a blistering corner kick by Tambasco past the Galway goal minder. BKW trailed, 4 to 2, after the perfect play, with 26 minutes left in the game.

“I really thought we would pour on the goals after Clark’s header,” said Gillis. “The momentum was in our favor.”

The exact opposite happened and the Bulldogs’ momentum started to deteriorate as the match wound down. The Western Athletic Conference North leaders put the game away with two more goals. BKW dropped to 6-6 on the season.

Wilday and the Gibbins brothers each had two goals and an assist for Galway, moving them to 11-1.

“Galway is an offensive machine, we knew that coming in,” said Gillis. “I’m proud of my kids; they battled back and worked hard.”

BKW has improved greatly and there is “no comparison” to last year, said Gillis. “We have struggled scoring goals, but Hannay and the defense have given us a decent season.”

The Bulldogs have four games left and could earn a playoff bid. “I have confidence in my players,” Gillis said. “They know what’s on the line.”