SAVING GRACE: Hun School boys’ soccer goalie Yanni Moraitis gathers in the ball as he warmed up before a game earlier this season. Last week, junior Moraitis made eight saves to help Hun defeat the Germantown Academy (Pa.) 3-2. The Raiders, who fell 1-0 at Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday to move to 3-4, host the Phelps School (Pa.) on September 24. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
Over his first two years with the Hun School boys’ soccer team, Yanni Moraitis displayed his athleticism through his work on defense and in the midfield.
But with three-year starting goalie Diego Pena graduating this past June and now playing at George Washington University, Moraitis volunteered to move into goal and fill the void left by Pena.
Over the summer, Moraitis worked with Raider assistant coach Nick Savino, a former University of Pennsylvania keeper, to learn the position.
“This summer, we were just looking for guys and coach Nick reached out to a couple of guys on the team he thought had the athleticism,” said Moraitis. “I just started training this summer. I had some sessions with Nick one-on-one. I honestly fell in love with it.”
Last Wednesday as Hun edged Germantown Academy (Pa.) 3-2, Moraitis demonstrated the fruits of that labor, making eight saves, including turning aside a second half penalty kick and the making a brilliant diving save in the last minute of regulation to preserve the win.
In reflecting on the victory, Moraitis cited the work of senior center backs Chris Meehan and Caleb Wilner in front of him.
“Our defense has been solid all year, we lost a couple of guys from last year and some guys really had to step up this year,” said Moraitis. “I am just happy it worked out the way it did. Chris always keeps me calm and tells me what to do. I wouldn’t be there without him. It means a lot to have them there. I am just happy to be right behind them, supporting them.”
Moraitis stayed calm when Germantown was awarded a penalty kick midway through the second half, correctly reading the shooter and making a leaping save in the top corner.
“In the practice the day before, coach Nick said the righty goes left and the lefty goes right,” said Moraitis. “I just followed his word and hoped he was right, and it was right. I was like, ‘Oh my God. This is my first year as a keeper and saving the first penalty, that is a great deal.’”
In a frantic final sequence with the Patriots pushing forward in the waning seconds of the contest, Moraitis dove to his right to turn aside a low blast.
“I just saw it,” said Moraitis. “Nick said to really see the ball — it sounds simple. I am lucky I made the right decision there.”
In reflecting on his first season at goalie, Moraitis believes he made decision in taking on that role.
“I am getting more comfortable as the season goes on,” said Moraitis. “The biggest challenge as a keeper is that you need to have a lot of instinctual knowledge about the goal and where you are at. I think I will get to that point. I am not there yet.”
Hun assistant coach Nick Savino acknowledged that the game turned into a nailbiter, even through Hun built a 3-1 halftime lead on goals by Sasha Mykhalchuk, Gonzalo Perez Nunez, and Zach Vallee
and was man-up after a Germantown player was red-carded late in the first half.
“We have had a tendency to let teams hang in there when we are up a couple of goals,” said Savino. “Better teams like them are going to make you pay for it. We have to make sure that we put those games away when we have the opportunity. All credit to them for hanging in there.”
Savino credited Meehan and Wilner with holding things together on the back line.
“We knew coming into it that they were dangerous up top,” said Savino. “We have some experience back there. Chris and Caleb have been great all year.”
While Moraitis is gaining his first experience as a keeper, he is coming up big.
“Yanni is a first-year goalie back there but he is really, really stepping into his own,” said Savino. “He is doing a great job.”
The key second half saves by Moraitis proved to be great boost in his development.
“I can tell him which way to go but that ball was in the top corner, that is a heck of a save,” said Savino. “Then that last save in the bottom corner was unbelievable. Anything builds confidence for him.”
Savino is impressed by how Moraitis has progressed this fall.
“We started in June and we trained him all summer and in the preseason,” said Savino. “Shot stopping has been the biggest area of progress and coming off of his line. He is field player so he is great with his feet. He is making a lot of strides.”
The Raiders are making strides collectively. “As the year has progressed, we have come together as a team,” said Savino of Hun who who fell 1-0 at Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday to move to 3-4 and will host the Phelps School (Pa.) on September 24. “We had Delbarton this weekend and we were up 2-0 at halftime. We have been playing much better as team. Even though we ended up losing that game, it has been little steps at a time.”
Moraitis believes that the squad is headed in the right direction.
“We have some ups-and-downs this season,” said Moraitis. “Our coach (Pat Quirk) says we were loading and we will continue to load and continue to grow as a team. I think this is a step in the right direction.”