THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994 TAG: 9406010676
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940601 LENGTH: RESTON, VA.
Since an injury to midfielder Josh Haggerty several weeks ago, the Falcons' passing game has suffered.
{REST} The solution: Move high-scoring forward and former defender Matt Whalen to the midfield to get better distribution of the ball.
The switch worked, as Cox appeared more crisp in its attack against the Northern Region champion Warriors.
But Cox would not have won had it not been for Whalen's big foot.
The junior scored both goals in the come-from-behind victory that moved Cox (15-2-2) into a state semifinal Friday at Hylton High in Woodbridge.
Whalen tied the score on a free kick from about 30 yards that skirted the right side of the South Lakes defensive wall and past keeper Daniel Cochran.
Then, with 12:44 left, South Lakes defender Kevin Whiteley tripped up Malcolm Johnson in the penalty box as he finished a long run toward the goal. Cox was awarded a penalty kick, and Whalen blasted the shot to the left post, just past Cochran.
South Lakes had taken a 1-0 halftime lead on a blistering shot by Pier D'Amato with less than five minutes left in the first half. D'Amato took a head pass from Whitely off a corner kick by Hayden Jones.
South Lakes' goal came during the Falcons only big letdown of the first half.
Cox had set the tone early, surprising the Warriors with a three-man attacking front that got two great shots early in the contest - a left-footed bullet by Matt Quinter that was just wide right and a rocket by Whalen that hit the right post.
South Lakes eventually figured out the attack, but had trouble putting together a consistent attack.
Cox further proved its ability to make appropriate changes when coach Jim Snodgrass moved Rodney Stoltz back to sweeper and placed Ben Speckhart in front of him, making the Falcons' defense a little less predictable.
``Thank God for those changes,'' Whalen said, referring to several clutch saves the two made during a frantic Warriors attack as time was running out.
Snodgrass shouted with pleasure at the victory, obviously pleased at his team's ability to adapt to his changes.
``We're playing more and more up to our potential,'' he said. ``This is the closest we've gotten since we lost Josh.
``But we did it. This was a great soccer game.'' by CNB