Haberman, Bold help put Syosset in 1st
Dakota Barnathan #10 battles with Syosset's Eric Bold #14 late in the second half. (Oct. 4, 2011) Credit: Dan Neri
Syosset was waiting for that signature game from goalkeeper Josh Haberman. The junior allowed several goals the first few games of the season, but there was going to be a time in which the Braves would need him to win a game.
That time came Tuesday against defending Nassau Class AA champion Massapequa and Haberman delivered emphatically. He totaled six saves, including a leaping stop on a point-blank blast to the upper middle of the goal and a diving save with his fingertips for visiting Syosset in a 1-0 win over Massapequa in Nassau Conference AA-I boys soccer. The win moves Syosset (5-3-1, 4-1-1) into first place, one point ahead of Massapequa (4-3-1, 4-2).
"It's a reaction save," Haberman said of the blast he stopped with 20 minutes left in the game. "I don't think I had time to come toward it. I just jumped. The outcome was great."
The second key save came with 13:26 left. There was a crowd in the box and Haberman could barely see the ball. After it went off his fingers, it hit the post. "I didn't see that until the very end," Haberman said. "I'm lucky I got my fingertips on it. The post was there to help me."
Syosset coach Brett Waxer said: "We've been waiting for him to have a game like this. We knew they were going to come at him in the second half. We grinded it out and it started with him."
Syosset has won five consecutive games and senior Eric Bold has six goals and two assists in that span, including Tuesday's winner. He recently was moved from midfield to forward and it has paid dividends.
He scored off a long pass from Shane Mandel with 24:12 left in the first half. Bold has been on the varsity since his freshman season, but his lone goal coming into the season was in his sophomore year.
"I feel like I can finish," Bold said. "I was waiting for the long ball. It worked well last week."
Syosset lost two starters in the preseason and two more during the season to season-ending knee injuries.
"We have had many guys step up," Waxer said. "We're on a good roll right now. This was another game to keep the momentum going."
