The Ocean City Nor’easters season came to an end in Leesburg, VA, in the USL League Two Semifinals Sunday night to the West Chester United SC Predators 1-0. Ocean City were playing back-to-back games after defeating the Boston Bolts Saturday.
In the first eight minutes of the game, both sides had promising chances and would come away empty-handed. In the twelfth minute, the Predators were on the move, and Ocean City goalkeeper Jahmali Waite got a hand up to block the shot that went out of bounds.
In the 38th minute, Nicholas Akoto’s cross set up Neville Morgan, but Predators goalkeeper Dane Jacomen stopped Morgan’s shot. In the 39th minute on a throw-in, Conor Bradley’s header set up Spencer Burkhardt, who had an Ocean City defender on him. He was able to find an opening to the lower-left corner of the net to put the Predators up 1-0.
The Nor’easters would make one last charge before halftime but would head to the locker room trailing 1-0. In the second half, the Nor’easters created chances for themselves but were unable to finish out the plays. Late in the game, West Chester United SC nearly put the game away in the 75th minute on a free-kick. However, the ball went over the crossbar, giving Ocean City another chance.
Closing in on the 90th-minute mark, the Nor’easters were pressuring West Chester’s defense. The Predators were in possession of the ball and were trying to run out the clock. Ocean City made one last attempt to tie the game but were unable to do so.
The Nor’easters season ended in a 1-0 loss to the West Chester United SC Predators. Ocean City goalkeeper Jahmali Waite broke a team record with a 0.74 goals-against average. The old record was .84 by Tunde Ogunbiyi in 2009.
With the win, the Predators move on to the USL League Two Eastern Conference finals next weekend against the Western Massachusetts Pirates. For the Nor’easters, they end the season on a high note.
This was their first playoff appearance in five years and will look to use this loss as a stepping stone heading into the 2022 season.
