VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY: Moore, Tigers finish strong against Cape Tech

ERMA – When Connor Bezaire scored off Luke Rullo’s assist to bring the Cape May Tech boys soccer team to within a goal at 2-1 in the second half of Saturday’s match, Lower Cape May could have been in a bit of trouble.

Instead, the Tigers responded with four goals in 18 minutes to pull away for a 6-1 victory.

“I thought we responded real positively,” Lower coach Dennis Elia said. “There’s a chance you hang your heads and pack it in a little bit there but I think that goal actually brought us back down and we started playing more as a team.”

Two of Lower’s goals during the late-game run were of highlight reel variety. Gabe Crowley volleyed Pat Moore’s cross with his first touch from 20 yards and dipped the ball inside the right post to make the score 3-1. Eleven minutes later, Moore hit a vicious strike from 23 yards that found the upper right 90.

“Pat’s shot that hit the upper right corner was all-world,” Elia said. “Gabe’s volley, the keeper didn’t have a chance. That’s two great goals.”

Moore, who also scored in the first half, finished off his hat trick by tapping into goal from two yards away after racing past the Hawk defense down the left flank after being sprung by Nate Zeigler’s through ball.

Zeigler tapped in Kolby Carter’s cross for the final goal.

Lower (1-1) led the game almost from the start. Ryan Sincavage tallied off Zeigler’s assist just a minute into the game. Moore scored his first goal in the 36^th minute to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead at the interval.

For Lower, the victory came in a solid effort after a 6-3 loss to Ocean City in its opener.

“The turnaround happened really in the second half against Ocean City,” Elia said. “To get three goals on that team … they’re probably the best team we’re going to face all season. So things have been pretty positive after that first half against Ocean City. We’ll need to carry this into next week.”

Tech, which lost is opener to Pleasantville, fell to 0-2.

— Brian Cunniff