Tech blanks Delmarva Christian in rain-drenched soccer battle

Ducks may not be the only birds that enjoy a cloudy, rainy day. It turns out Ravens are fond of a dreary, wet day as well.

Delmarva Christian trekked west on Route 9 Sept. 25, with a four-game win streak active and the momentum of two straight one-goal victories secured by late-game heroics. Sussex Tech welcomed the Royals following three straight defeats.

Three minutes into the contest, Ravens senior Brian Morales-Rojas showed just how hungry Tech was for a win by burying a shot into the back of the net. Fellow senior Aaron Jones joined Morales-Rojas on the stat sheet with a goal 11 minutes later. Tech freshman Kleison Rivera Perez notched a goal a minute after Jones’ score. They wouldn’t be the only goals scored within a minute of each other.

At the 20-minute mark, Ravens senior Bryson Samayoa Grijalva started the sequence again by scoring a goal a minute before Tech junior Joshua Leon-Villanueva scored his first of two goals. Joining Leon-Villanueva in securing a brace was Ravens freshman Alex Garcia Velasquez, who scored back-to-back goals in the 28th and 34th minutes. Tech captain Aidan Ruscavage, a junior, concluded the first-half scoring by converting on a penalty kick in the 34th minute to give the Ravens an 8-0 lead heading into halftime. 

Leon-Villanueva's second goal in the 53rd minute kick-started the Ravens' second-half scoring, and Tech senior Ulven Morales Roblero’s 65th-minute strike wrapped up an impressive 10-goal day.

Sussex Tech’s defense shone as well, securing a clean sheet for Austin Chavez Gamboa and setting a high line that often caught Royals forwards offsides. Chavez Gamboa had two saves in the match.

Delmarva Christian admittedly struggled with communication and switching in the defensive third. Junior keeper Quinn Downs officially made five saves in the match and confronted a few situations he could do little to stop on his own. A couple of times he made two saves before the Ravens finished off the rebounds. 

With the victory, the Ravens stand at 2-3. Sussex Tech will travel to Polytech Thursday, Sept. 28, to take on the Panthers and try to claw back to .500.

The Royals fall to 4-2. They will travel across state lines Wednesday, Sept. 27, to take on The Gunston School in ESIAC action.