FAIRFIELD — Edward Little entered the Eastern Class A boys’ soccer tournament flaunting only four wins and missing at least that many players who played a pivotal role in that sporadic success.
The Red Eddies played like they didn’t realize the odds were stacked against them.
No. 10 EL swapped haymakers with No. 7 Lawrence all Saturday evening, and nobody stopped scrapping until the horn sounded and declared the host Bulldogs 4-3 preliminary round winners at Martin Field.
“Too bad somebody had to lose. One of our better games of the season, without question,” EL coach Dave Morin said. “I wish we could have played like this all season. We wouldn’t have had to play a prelim.”
EL was undone by Matt Saunders’ hat trick and a lull that lingered through the last 15 minutes of the first half and the first 15 minutes of the ensuing chapter.
On both sides of that roadblock, the Eddies (4-10-1) played with precision and passion.
Senior striker Jared Pelletier produced a goal and an assist in his final game. Pelletier planted a penalty kick to give EL the initial lead with 16:32 remaining in the first half.
Zach Tannenbaum and Adam Timberlake each added a goal for the Eddies, who twice trimmed late two-goal deficits in half.
“I think we wore out a little bit and got a little tired. We were moving the ball exceptionally well tonight,” Morin said. “It’s a tough way to go out, but I told them it’s the right way to go out. They went out with dignity and pride.”
Led by senior midfielder Ian Therriault, the Eddies took away one of Lawrence’s top scoring threats, Tim Dudley.
Saunders and Drew Bois filled the void for Lawrence (9-6).
Bois one-touched the ball past an EL fullback and centered the ball to Saunders for a header that knotted the game with nine minutes left in the half.
Thad Chamberlain found Bois for a low, screaming shot that put the Bulldogs in front in the final minute.
“We hadn’t seen them during the regular season and didn’t really know much about them,” Lawrence coach Bob Towne said. “They did an excellent job defending both Saunders and Dudley tonight. I was impressed with them.”
Saunders broke free for another header off Bois’ corner kick for a 3-1 edge six minutes after intermission.
Tannenbaum took advantage of a brief Lawrence defensive lapse, stopping a short through-ball from Nate Blais and walking in alone on Lawrence goalkeeper Brad Mackenzie with 24:05 to play.
Sawyer Letourneau ran down two EL breakaways that could have tied the game, instead forcing corner kicks that left Lawrence unscathed.
Mackenzie also stuck out his left hand and swatted a point-blank shot by Brady Pleau that could have pulled the Eddies even.
“When it was 3-1 a lot of times you say, ‘OK, the season’s over. Let’s get ready for winter sports.’ But the kids dug in and we had a couple of other good chances too,” Morin said. “It isn’t like we just had one or two chances. We had four or five.”
EL’s comeback hopes took a hit when the Eddies were called for an intentional hand ball in the Lawrence box with 3:24 left.
Saunders stuck the resulting penalty kick for his third tally, seemingly punching Lawrence’s ticket to a quarterfinal date at No. 2 Bangor.
Not without one last EL flurry, though.
Timberlake punched home the rebound after Mackenzie denied a 25-yard direct kick by Pelletier with 2:08 on the clock.
Pelletier also had another direct kick deep in the Lawrence defensive zone in the final 10 seconds, but to no avail.
“I think if you talk to most of the coaches in the (KVAC), any team top to bottom has a chance to win on any given day,” Towne said.
The win was Lawrence’s fourth straight; the loss, EL’s sixth in its final seven games.
Fullback Ethan Polisky (concussion) and goalie Ben Bowles (fracture) were missing seniors for EL. Sophomore Mike Cote made 10 saves in his first varsity start on Bowles’ behalf.
“These kids sucked it up and played,” Morin said. “Not only did they play hard, they played relatively smart.”
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