A spectacular season for the Vineyard boys soccer team came to an end Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Norwell at the division three south section finals.

“They need to be proud of themselves,” Coach Esteban Aranzabe said after the game. “They had an exceptional season. I’m very proud of my team.”

The seventh-seeded Norwell Clippers proved tough opponents for the fourth-seeded Vineyarders in a physical game, played at the Taunton High School on a cold, sunny day.

Senior co-captain Ben Poole put the Vineyard on the board in the eleventh minute of play, taking a feed from junior Jason Lages and arcing the ball up and over the Norwell keeper into the upper pocket of the net. Lages made two back-to-back shots on goal shortly after, which were followed by a long Noah Kleinhenz ball. But none made it in, a trend that continued as the game went on.

And while the Vineyard outshot the Clippers throughout the match, Norwell stepped up its physical play in the second half and capitalized on the counterattack.

Late in the first half, speed was on display when Norwell senior Connor Horan tied the game in stoppage time after a long breakaway. Score, 1-1. Then late in the second half in the 88th minute of play, freshman Ty Studley slid the winning goal in on a rebound from Horan.

The Vineyard players stood rooted in their positions, then slowly trekked back to their bench to hug one another. They walked toward the fans in the stands, as they have all season, clapping for their supporters.

“We need to learn how to win and how to lose,” Coach Aranzabe said. He said he felt the Vineyard was the better team. But Norwell had the better game on Saturday.

Coach Aranzabe noted the Clippers’ counterattack and kick-and-run style of play.

“They did that all season and that’s basically what they did today,” he said.

The Vineyard boys, many of whom have been playing together since their youth soccer days, had a standout year, proving they could hold their own against division one opponents during the regular season, winning the Eastern Athletic Conference title, advancing to the playoffs for the fourth straight year and posting a 17-2-2 regular season record.

The large crowd of Vineyard fans that traveled to the game knew as much, cheering for the team as they came off the field for the last time.