Vicenza’s Maya Fitch takes a tumble after Aviano goalkeeper Paige Rogers dove for the ball in the Cougars’ 3-0 victory over the Saints on Saturday, May 3, 2025 in Aviano, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stirpes)
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – Like virtually all DODEA-Europe coaches, Ian Birch has made numerous personal sacrifices to support his cross country and boys soccer teams over the years.
But he might have to draw the line in a few weeks.
“They want me to wear a suit for the championships,” Birch said after talking to his team following its 3-1 victory Saturday over Vicenza. “But it’s just going to be too hot there.”
Dressed formally to attend his daughter’s first Communion at a nearby Italian church just prior to the game, Birch saw his team defeat the Cougars for the first time in six years. And it was the Saints’ first victory of the season.
Birch owns four suits – coincidentally just enough for the four-day European championships in Germany in a few weeks. He said he’s not superstitious, though.
To be fair, his players did seem to deserve the lion’s share of the credit Saturday.
Seniors Andrew and Deon Walker each scored and Xavier Fox made the most of limited playing time with a goal and an assist. And the Saints built a two-goal lead by keeping the Cougars without a shot in the first half.
Fox, a second-team All-Europe selection a year ago, missed the last three games for the Saints while nursing a sore hamstring.
He entered late in the first half with the Saints already up 1-0 and tallied the winning goal just minutes later. He had set up a teammate seconds earlier and a wild series of shots, near shots and deflections ensued. The ball then bounced back to Fox, who boomed a kick into the left-hand side of the goal.
“That boom at midfield …” Vicenza coach John Kohut said. “Wow. He’s a player.”
Unfortunately for the Saints, he’ll only be a part-time player – at most – for the remainder of his senior season, Birch said.
He held Fox out for much of the game and said that will be the plan the rest of the way.
“We thought we’d give it a try,” he said of the limited playing time. “It went pretty well.
“I believe he has a future (in soccer) after high school, so we’re not going to jeopardize that next week or in the championships.”
Fox sent the ball up the field just before halftime and Deon Walker reached it first and put Aviano up 3-0. The goal wasn’t much different from the Saints’ first goal when Andrew Walker outraced the Vicenza defense for a close shot at goal.
Vicenza got on the scoreboard with about 10 minutes left when Luis Roa headed a corner kick toward Benedict Morton, who booted in the ball.
“We’ve still got to work on communication,” Kohut said. “We need to trust each other a bit more, knowing the other guy is going to be there.”
The Cougars actually outshot the Saints 11-6 in the second half after a 7-0 deficit heading into halftime.
Aviano’s Andrew Walker beats Vicenza’s Keith Davus to the ball and scored the first goal in the Saints’ 3-1 victory over the Cougars on Saturday, May 3, 2025, in Aviano, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stirpes)
Aviano’s Deon Walker moves toward the goal Saturday, May 3, 2025, in the Saints’ 3-1 victory over Vicenza. Walker would later score one of the Aviano goals. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stirpes)
Girls
Vicenza 3, Aviano 0: For the first time in her high school career, Cougars senior Maya Fitch came up empty at the Italian stadium in downtown Aviano.
It wasn’t for lack of trying, though, as Fitch – who has scored more goals on the field than the entire current Saints roster combined – took more than a dozen shots.
Aviano keeper Paige Rogers was there every time, though. She recorded 17 saves in the match.
Unfortunately for the Saints, Fitch wasn’t the only one in a Cougar uniform. Emily Vallejo-Rodriguez, Lexie Pollard and Yami Silva-Vasquez all tallied goals as Vicenza outshot Aviano 34-0.
“We were just knocking, knocking, knocking,” Cougars coach Philip Paniagua said. “It was nice to see, especially since the three who scored aren’t the ones who usually score for us.”
Both teams were missing starters – something that was also true of the boys game that followed – and Saints’ coach Sarah Hartman said that sapped the team’s offense.
Still, she said she was happy with her team’s effort.
“We’re definitely playing more physical than we have in the past and we never gave up,” she said.
The Cougars scored all their goals in the opening half while outshooting the Saints 11-0. Jenina Smith assisted on two goals and Kiera Mukai’s pass from the corner that a cutting Silva-Vasquez quick-booted into the goal was the game’s best play. Vicenza got plenty of good looks in the second half as well, continually taking possession deep in Aviano territory.
After finding herself all alone in front of the Aviano goal, Vicenza’s Lexie Pollard takes a shot and scored her team’s second goal in a 3-0 victory over the Saints on Saturday, May 3, 2025. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stirpes)
Vicenza’s Emily Vallejo-Rodriguez tries to fake out two Aviano defenders Saturday, May 3, 2025, in Aviano, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stirpes)
