KENOSHA – On Feb. 17, Carthage Red revved their engines for Week Three of NECC Division II – West B Rocket League action. Freshman Armando Hernandez (Mando), sophomore Penn Gilchrist (Penn), and junior Alex Vaile (Vaile) faced off in an intense battle against the Indiana Hoosiers. The taste of revenge was palpable for Carthage before this matchup. Alex, Armando, and Penn demonstrated adaptability in a six-game series.

In Game One, the Firebirds struggled to gain momentum after overcommitting on defense, allowing Indiana to score easily. After this setback, Carthage won two of the next three games, with all scores determined by just one goal. Games Five and Six were critical as the series was tied at two. Carthage edged Indiana in Games Five and Six by shooting more effectively, showcasing their well-coordinated team chemistry.


In Game One, the Firebirds were quickly overwhelmed by Indiana's ability to seize a 1-0 lead [4:37]. Armando attempted a pass to Alexander from Carthage's left corner, but Indiana intercepted it, putting Penn under pressure to react to an awkward ball bounce. The Hoosiers scored off a defensive miscue from Armando and Alexander. In response, Carthage tried to up the tempo, committing to passes near Indiana's net. However, Armando and Alexander ran out of boost, and Penn missed a hit while trying to anticipate the ball's position. This led to a triple commit, leaving the Firebirds' net unguarded and allowing Indiana to score again [3:19]. Indiana continued to pressure Carthage defensively, taking advantage of Alexander and Penn's depleted boost. With no one near the net, Indiana capitalized on the opportunity, extending their lead to three [2:25]. After nearly two minutes of steadfast defense from both teams, Armando and Penn attempted to score. With 32 seconds remaining, Armando passed to Penn from the right side of the field. Unfortunately, Penn failed to gain full control and missed. The Hoosiers quickly took advantage of the error, scoring their fourth goal with 22 seconds left to secure a Game One victory.
 
In Games Two and Three, the defensive mindset sharpened. In Game Two, Carthage kept the Hoosiers from scoring for five minutes. Despite Indiana making eight shots on the net and having more touches (160), Carthage stood firm offensively and defensively. Alexander recorded four saves, while Penn netted the only goal [3:31]. Alexander sent a floating pass from Indiana's right corner to Penn, who took a shot that slipped past two Hoosiers defenders. Carthage also gathered more boost than Indiana, allowing their dynamic trio to control the game's pace [7,212 - 5,541]. 


In Game Three, both teams battled to a 0-0 tie until Indiana managed a goal by shooting over Alexander while Penn hesitated to call his teammate back to goal [2:14]. With 90 seconds left, Indiana blocked Penn's pass to Alexander. Armando found himself trapped at midfield with no chance to stop Indiana's ensuing shot on net, a consequence of the previous offensive blunder [1:22]. Next, Armando sent a well-timed pass to Penn from midfield. Penn skillfully air-rolled to score Carthage's first goal [0:48]. The Firebirds had two excellent opportunities to tie but were thwarted by the Hoosiers, who claimed a 2-1 win.
 
The series score favored Indiana, 2-1. Nevertheless, Carthage displayed remarkable resilience throughout Games Four and Five. In Game Four, Armando set up Alexander, who scored an early goal to shift the momentum [4:24]. Alexander, Armando, and Penn formed an impenetrable defense for four minutes, preventing the Hoosiers from scoring. Armando led with three saves as the team excelled in communication and controlled the game's pace. With the series tied 2-2, Carthage Red maintained their composure.

Game five commenced with an early goal from Carthage after Penn won a contested shot and released the ball. Alexander flicked the ball over a Hoosier defender from midfield to score [4:36]. Just nine seconds later, the Firebirds went up 2-0 as Alexander, from Indiana's left corner, lobbed the ball to Penn, who struck it mid-air between two defenders. Near the three-minute mark, Indiana responded to cut the deficit to one by overpowering Penn in Carthage's net. This left a gap that the Hoosiers exploited as Armando found himself in a compromised goalie position. With 10 seconds remaining, Penn attempted a contested shot toward the Firebirds' net. Unfortunately, Alexander couldn't react quickly enough to stop Indiana's follow-up shot. The game was locked at 2-2 and headed for overtime. Three minutes in, Penn carried the ball down the right side in open space and flicked it over a Hoosier defender. After the ball ricocheted off Indiana's crossbar, Armando raced in with a full head of steam to score the game-winning goal [+3:16].

With full momentum, Carthage battled in a pivotal Game Six against their rival. In the opening 20 seconds, Penn won a contested shot near right field that squirted toward midfield. On his left, Armando rolled the ball into Indiana's net to score [4:42]. With under four minutes left, the Hoosiers congregated around Carthage's net, forcing Armando and Penn to commit to hard touches. This resulted in Alexander flipping his car backward, allowing Indiana to tie the game 1-1. With three-and-a-half minutes left, Armando and Penn set up a scoring opportunity for Alexander. 

However, he placed the ball above Indiana's backboard. Indiana capitalized on the ricochet and Carthage's triple commit on offense, leaving the net unprotected. The Firebirds regrouped and executed a nice play to tie the game 2-2. Armando delivered a ceiling pass off the left side for Alexander. After Armando and Penn faked out the Hoosier defenders, Alexander had a clear lane to score [1:40]. On the ensuing kickoff, Penn caught Indiana out of position and lasered a centered ball to Armando, who pounced on the open shot [1:33]. The Firebirds were up 3-2. With 47 seconds left, Armando dumped the ball off to Alexander up the field's right side. Armando cleared out Indiana's goaltenders, allowing Alexander to drive the ball straight into the net [0:45]. Although the Firebirds allowed Indiana to score a third goal, they milked the clock. 

Carthage won the series 4-2 after overcoming a shaky start. They rang in sweet revenge and advanced to (3-0, 12-6) in the Spring 2025 NECC Division II Rocket League competition. The Firebirds solely grasp first place in their West B Stage.

• Alex led the team's scoring pursuits with four goals off 21 Shots. 
• Mando shot 30% from the field and scored two goals in an important Game five to keep Carthage's momentum alive. 
• Penn accumulated a team-leading 18 demolitions and found ways to break Indiana's confidence.

Statistics:

Indiana Hoosiers 13/51 (25%) - Shooting

Chilly Chuck: Six goals, three assists, four saves, 15 shots, 14 demos, 40% shooting percentage

Mario^^: Four goals, three assists, 14 saves, 15 shots, six demos, 20% shooting percentage

Koduhmeister: Two goals, three assists, 13 saves, 15 shots, 11 demos, 13% shooting percentage


Carthage Red 10/48 (21%) Shooting

Vaile: Four goals, two assists, 10 saves, 21 shots, 10 demos, 19% shooting percentage

Mando: Three goals, four assists, nine saves, 10 shots, 11 demos, 30% shooting percentage

Pixlr: Three goals, four assists, six saves, 17 shots, 18 demos, 18% shooting percentage

• Carthage Firebirds Red (3-0) will return to the Esports Arena on Feb 27 and compete against Southeastern Oklahoma University (2-1) in a streamed Best-of-7 series. The Firebirds aim to stay undefeated in the Spring 2025 NECC Rocket League. To stay tuned for live updates, follow carthageesports on Facebook, Instagram, and X. To watch our live streams, follow us here: https://twitch.tv/carthageesports