Scotch Plains-Fanwood Beats Westfield in Penalty Kick Shootout

Scotch Plains-Fanwood needed 13 rounds of penalty kicks to beat Westfield 11 to 10 in a Union County Tournament quarterfinal on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Wexler Field. Union County Life is reporting the result from the match played in Scotch Plains.

Neither team scored in regulation or in two overtime periods of 10 minutes each. Westfield appeared to take the lead midway through the first half, but the goal was disallowed for offside. The teams went into halftime scoreless, and the Blue Devils pressed harder after the break without finding the net.

The shootout was decided by freshman goalkeeper Ewan Huerfano, who made three saves. His final stop was a diving save to his left, with the ball hitting the post, to end the 13th round with the Raiders ahead 11 to 10. Westfield goalkeeper Lucas Rosario also made key stops, including one at 9 to 9 that gave the Blue Devils a chance to end the match.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood coach Alex Passucci praised the team after the game. “I thought the boys put together a strong performance,” said Passucci. “They were solid defensively, stayed committed to the game plan, and were outstanding in the penalty kick shootout. They battled hard and found a way to grind out a win.”

The win sends the Raiders to the county semifinals, where they face top seeded Summit on the road on Saturday, Oct. 24, at a time to be determined. Summit defeated Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2 to 1 when the teams met on Oct. 1. The shutout was the Raiders’ ninth of the season.

Find more Scotch Plains and Fanwood sports and local news at unioncountylife.com.

FAQ

Who won the Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Westfield boys soccer quarterfinal?
Scotch Plains-Fanwood won 11 to 10 on penalty kicks after 13 rounds, with no goals in regulation or overtime.

Who was the key player in the shootout?
Freshman goalkeeper Ewan Huerfano made three saves, including a diving stop that ended the 13th round.

When is Scotch Plains-Fanwood’s next game?
The Raiders face top seeded Summit in the county semifinal on Saturday, Oct. 24, at a time to be determined.

Who was the first Summit meeting this season?
Summit defeated Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2 to 1 when the teams met on Oct. 1.