Not long after his soccer-playing Cumberland Valley Eagles closed out yet another satisfying postseason victory over yet another quality opponent, Matt Billman tossed several descriptive words into the post-game discussion that really summed things up nicely.
“We were pleased with the effort from everyone,” Billman said Saturday afternoon. “We stressed belief and confidence all week and they played that way today.”
Sure did.
Enthused by a score from Jesse Zimmerman just before the break, CV also picked up a second-half insurance finish from Pete Kemery before polishing off Conestoga Valley 2-0 in the first of three District 3-AAA boys’ soccer quarterfinal-round games at breezy Hersheypark Stadium.
Ben Steele added five saves as Billman’s Eagles (20-2) — including a first-half dandy that stoned Will Zechman and kept the scoreboard flush with zeroes — soared into a semifinal-round dustup with Mid-Penn Commonwealth playmate Carlisle on Tuesday at Hersheypark Stadium.
And while Billman’s resourceful ballclub also accrued its own set of frustrations against Dave Hartlaub’s talented Buckskins (16-4-2) — Conestoga Valley spent a good portion of the opening half in the Cumberland Valley end — Zimmerman’s strike with 1:06 to go changed everything.
Ben Zambetti’s well-weighted cross set up the go-ahead strike, which Zimmerman cracked from the top right edge of the penalty area and whistled just inside the left upright.
“We had momentum going into halftime,” Zimmerman said. “We were pumped going into halftime and we were pumped going out of halftime. It was definitely a confidence booster.”
Their confidence boosted by Zimmerman’s timely rip, that belief in themselves also began to materialize after the break as Billman’s Eagles took over.
"We came out just as strong as we can," Zimmerman said.
And aside from an Ahmed Qaisi pop that hummed just over from the crossbar, the Buckskins’ attack never threatened the rest of the way.
Billman was especially pleased by the efforts of his defensive backfield -- Connor Greiss, A.J. Travis, Riley Katshir and Jack Abom logged most of the 80 minutes with Nick Kline slipping in for a short stretch -- and by the play on the interior from midfielders Spencer Petersheim and Zambetti.
Once Kemery sneaked a ball under Tommy Sterner (3 saves) with 8:33 to go — dishes from Max Shedlosky and Zimmerman set up the score — the Eagles were moving forward. Back to the semis, actually.
"We're ready to play," Zimmerman quipped.
"I'm just proud of this group," Billman said. "They did a good job. They stuck to the game plan. While we struggled a little in the first half, we talked about that at halftime and in the second half we handed everything very well."
Belief ... and confidence.