No. 11 Concord shuts out No. 12 A.L. Brown, takes control of South Piedmont
No. 11 Concord (18-1-2) defeated No. 12 A.L. Brown (16-3-1) in a 2-0 shutout on Tuesday night. The Spiders now have a two-game lead in the South Piedmont Conference and are just one game shy of winning back-to-back conference titles.
Both teams struggled to find momentum early in Tuesday's matchup. However, a costly A.L. Brown mistake gave Concord the break it needed. Concord midfielder Carson Trott scored on a penalty kick to put the Spiders up 1-0 in the 18th minute.
The score didn't change until early in the second half when Concord's Oliver Coreas placed a deflected ball to the back of the net. Coreas’ acrobatic strike gave the Spiders a two-goal cushion in the 54th minute.
With time running out, the Concord defense shut down any potential A.L. Brown comeback. Defending nicely against the Wonders' long ball attack, the Spiders cruised to their second shutout of the season over the Wonders.
Key Players
Carson Trott (Sr, Concord) - The Concord captain didn't disappoint on Tuesday night. Trott’s penalty kick strike in the 18th minute gave his team the opening score of the night. The senior also made a name for himself on defense, chasing down the A.L. Brown attack and forcing multiple stops.
Oliver Coreas (So, Concord) - Coreas sunk the final goal of the night for the Spiders. The sophomore's consistent hustle on helped secure the victory.
Christian Kushmal (Sr, Concord) - Kushmal proved to be too much to handle for the A.L. Brown attack. The senior was the centerpiece in a terrific defensive effort that let up no goals.
Why it Matters
Headed into Tuesday's match, A.L. Brown was just one game back from tying Concord in the South Piedmont 3A standings. However, with the win, Concord took sole control of the conference with a two-game lead late in the regular season. With just three games left for the Spiders, they will look to clinch their second straight conference title as well as a home playoff game.
What's Next?
No. 11 Concord (23-3) will look to clinch the South Piedmont 3A title on Thursday at Central Cabarrus.
No. 12 A.L. Brown (21-3) will try and get back on track at Northwest Cabarrus next.
