By Sam Brauen www.blufftonpirates.com
Last season, Bluffton traveled to Celina and built a 4-0 lead only to see it evaporate and leave town with a 5-5 tie in their match with Celina. A similar outcome happened Saturday afternoon as the Pirates built a 3-1 lead with 15 minutes remaining but back to back goals by Bulldog Jim Aquino leveled the score at 3-3 which is how the game ended.
Aquino opened the scoring for Celina but the score was equalized by Isaiah Schwab off a Jude Spallinger assist. The teams went to the half tied at 1-1. Luke Young put Bluffton ahead just four minutes into the second half finishing a pass from Jonathan Schriner. Brandon Good drew a penalty kick with 19’ left and Simon Derstine buried it for a 3-1 Pirate lead.
Aquino was not done scoring as he found the net with 15’ left. Just 90 seconds later, Aquino fired a rocket shot from 30 yards out that equalized the score at 3-3.
The Pirates controlled possession thanks to a ton of hard work by Tayton Kleman, Jackson Steinmetz, Simon Derstine, Asher Antrim, Jude Spallinger and others. The Pirates outshot the Bulldogs 12-5 on the day. Bluffton keeper Dakota Clymer came up with 2 saves in the tie.
Bluffton is now 5-0-3 on the season.
