The St. Benedict’s Prep. varsity soccer team suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss against Delaware’s Salesianum on Tuesday, October 22, ending the Gray Bees’ 71 game winning streak that stretched back to 2010.

The Gray Bees dominated the game early, keeping possession and putting pressure on Salesianum’s keeper. By the end of regular time  St. Benedict’s remained scoreless despite their 14 shots on goal compared to Salesianum’s 5. The game stretched to overtime “I was just thinking that we had to work really hard so it [the game] didn’t end in a draw” said senior defender Niquell DeMatas.

With four minutes left in the 10 minute overtime period, Salesianum’s keeper launched a long ball that was received just outside the St. Benedict’s 18. Salesianum’s  striker snuck the ball past oncoming keeper Bobby Edwards to score the winning goal. “I was just hoping that the ball would hit the post or go wide,” said DeMatas as he recalled the tantalizingly slow shot that bounced into the back of the net.

“We just didn’t play to our potential,” said Mr. Craig Gillespie, assistant coach of the varsity team. “The effort was there, but we just didn’t execute.”

The Gray Bees’ last loss, 71 games and 3 years ago, was to this same team. This loss to Salesianum has left the Gray Bees’ season in the hands of the fates. There is nothing else that St. Benedict’s can do except win their last three games and hope that the teams rated above them go down in the rankings.