Randolph Boys Soccer lost to Delbarton, 1-0, in the Morris County Tournament semifinals, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Mount Olive High School.

“We came out with an aggressive mindset,” senior Aidan Fisher said. “We’ve played Delbarton two times before, so we know how they play and how much of a challenging team they can be.”

With the slow offensive start to the game, the Rams defense, headlined by senior Captain Connor Rodrigues and junior Jayden DeCarvalho, stepped up with some incredible plays to keep the Delbarton offense at bay. Sophomore Gavin Vinchengrad was excellent in goal, tallying four saves.

The first half was played primarily on Randolph’s side, but the Rams started to gain momentum through the first half, although the attempts led to no success. The first half ended with a 0-0 tie.

“Missing starters impacts the team, as we have to throw in people to fill those roles,” senior Captain Ricardo Sanchez said. “With the limited time, it’s hard to prepare and even maintain consistency over a very intense season”

Starting out the second half, the Rams came out hot, putting pressure on Delbarton’s defense, while creating multiple opportunities to score and get on the board.

After a multitude of penalties and fouls, Delbarton cashed in, securing a rebound shot to take a 1-0 lead with just over 10 minutes left. The Rams were not able to fight back, falling 1-0 to Delbarton in the county semifinals.

“This loss affects our minds because now we know how it feels to lose a big game,” Rodrigues said. “So now, we have to be more focused for every game and every opportunity. I can’t hold anyone accountable for the loss because we lost as a team, and everyone gave their full effort, and it just didn’t go the way we wanted, so now we have to move on.”

The Rams will take the field again at home against Chatham on Friday, Oct. 20, which is Teacher Appreciation night.