A case of using your head at just the right time. Hayden Hunt’s header off a long crossing pass from the right side with just over 11 minutes left in the match Monday night turned out to be the game winner as the Blazers took an intense 3-2 win over the Mayfield Cardinals in the All A Classic boys’ soccer sectional round at Givens Field.
The Blazers then had to come up with some big defensive plays over the final minutes to hang on for the victory as the Cardinals desperately tried to tie the match for the third time.
UHA took the first lead of the night at the 13:20 mark when Lincoln Hauret scored off an assist from Hayden Hunt to put the Blazers up 1-0.
Just over six minutes later, Mayfield evened things up at 1-1 when Luis Montes bounced a long direct kick over the head of UHA keeper Hayden Fitzsimmons. That would be the score as the two teams left the field more than 20 minutes later at the half.
The Blazers looked as if they might have the winning goal at 54:20 when Cal Givens sent a rocket into the net on a long direct kick to make it 2-1. But the Cardinals would not go away quite that easy.
Jason Melendez intercepted a UHA pass and drove towards the goal, finding the net and tying the match at 2-2 at 64:00.
The win for University Heights (6-1) advances the Blazers into the All A quarterfinals Saturday, September 20, at Louisville Collegiate. The Blazers will take on the winner of the sectional match between St. Henry and the 10th Region champion.
