Bandits suffocate Saints in first half, win opener, 3-0
Hometown kid, Schneider, posts two goals and an assist

(Lexington, Ky.)- The Lexington Bluegrass Bandits were not gracious hosts to the visiting Alabama Saints in Saturday’s PDL season opener, but that didn’t bother Coach Rob Miller. The Bandits suffocated the Saints with intense pressure up front, scored three times in the first half, and coasted to the 3-0 win at Lexington Catholic High School.

It was a homecoming of sorts for former Catholic player Buddy Schneider, who figured in all three of the Bandits’ goals during the game. Now playing at Marshall University, Schneider never got to play on Catholic’s state-of-the-art Sport Turf, but he looked right at home on the synthetic surface.

It didn’t take long for the Bandits to break on top. With 37:05 still remaining in the opening half, Schneider tallied the first of his two goals in the game. A throw-in from Centre College’s Tanner Wann sailed into the penalty box area from left to right and ricocheted off Wendell Collymore’s (Florida International) head and right to Schneider at the far post.

By the time the ball reached Schneider, he was one-on-one with Alabama goalkeeper Loukas Papaconstantinou, who stood no chance on Schneider’s header.

Just over ten minutes later at the 26:59 mark, Schneider was at it again. Former University of Kentucky player Sean Mondelli got loose down the left sideline and sent a cross into the box, where Schneider was waiting patiently. Once again, Schneider had time to find the perfect shot and beat Papaconstantinou to the lower left side for a 2-0 lead.

The Bandits remained on the offensive for much of the first half, allowing very little from the Alabama forwards. The few shots, which penetrated the Lexington defenders, either missed their mark or were stopped by starting goalkeeper Derek Orf (Cumberland College).

Despite the early lead, the Bandits stayed on the attack and had excellent scoring chances throughout the rest of the first half. Scott Deopere (Wisconsin-Oshkosh) got loose up front and found himself one-on-one against the keeper, but his shot just missed.

At the 17:06 mark, Mondelli again lifted a great cross into the box, but a shot by Moises Drumond (Bryan College) sailed over the goal. About a minute later on a cornerkick, Cumberland’s Keita Placide literally turned a Saints’ defender inside out with a staggering move near the top of the penalty box, but his subsequent shot also missed.

The Bandits put the exclamation point on the victory with just under two minutes left in the half. On a free kick from about 40 yards away, Schneider hit a great ball to Billy Wick (Wisconsin-Oshkosh), who had slipped behind a Saints’ defender and then headed the ball by a stunned Papaconstantinou for the 3-0 halftime lead.

Under a persistent rain shower, much of the second half was played in the midfield. There were a few good scoring chances, but neither team produced a goal during the second half.

The star of the game, Schneider, said, "It was nice being out there again at Catholic. It seemed like old times. I never got to play on the new synthetic grass, but even in the rain, it still gripped well. I was a little surprised at how well we played, but there were a lot of good players out there. Some of the players are a little older, so they know what they’re doing."

Next up for the Bandits will be a clash with the Kalamazoo Kingdom this Saturday, May 27^th, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Lexington Catholic High School. The Bandits are also expected to have a scrimmage at Catholic on Tuesday night against a local youth team, beginning at 6 p.m.

GAME BOX SCORE: ALABAMA AT LEXINGTON (MAY 20, 2000)

Alabama Saints 0 0- 0
Bluegrass Bandits 3 0- 3
Goals: 1^st half-(BB) Buddy Schneider (Assist-Wendell Collymore) 37:05; (BB) Schneider (Assist-Sean Mondelli) 16:20; (BB) Billy Wick (Assist-Schneider) under 2 minutes; 2^nd half-None; Goalkeepers: (BB) Derek Orf, (Saints) Loukas Papaconstantinou; Records: Bandits 1-0, Saints 1-0-1.