On August 28th we took a three hour road trip to Danville to play our first "official" game of the 2009 season. Last year we lost to Danville 4-1 and 2-1. Needless to say we were wanting to go to Danville and get a win this year.
The game stared the way we wanted it. Thad Snell put in a goal on a breakaway from the left side at the 15 minute mark. We were looking good. Our possession game was exceptional, and we were putting good pressure on the ball. But after our first goal we hit a lull, and we didn't see much production although we had some good chances to score. Danville put in their first goal late in the first half. It was a 30 yard shot from midfield after a rebound from the penalty area. So, at half time it was 1-1. Not exactly what I was hoping for at half time, but it wasn't a bad effort.
In the second half Neil Houlihan found the back of the net on a breakaway. His goal put us up 2-1 and that's the way it stayed until the 80th minute. They scored from the midfield again after a poor effort on our part to clear the ball. Their second goal should have never been. Our boys seemed to dig down a little bit after that tieing goal. We had some very good chances to go ahead. Three breakaways were foiled by a good effort on the Keeper.
Disappointed, not angry, was a good description of me after the game. I felt like we had the advantage in speed, and talent. I'm not making excuses for the game, but the officiating was sub par for collegiate soccer. Even the opposing coach agreed with me after the game about the sub par officiating. BUT officiating did not lose the game for us. We just simply failed to finish on the ample opportunities that we had. If we would have made half of the breakaways that we had, the score would have been 5-2. Hopefully, we'll do a better job at finishing next week at our three home games.
This was a good test for us. It humbled us a little. I think the boys went into this match thinking that we would be able to do to Danville what we did to Williams Baptist. Hopefully we have learned to not take any game for granted.
Next week is a busy week with three home games. We play Lindenwood University at Belleville and I don't know a thing about them. So we will prepare for them like they are an excellent team and hopefully have a good showing on our home pitch. Kaskaskia is our opponent on Wednesady. They are a new program like us, and that should be a pretty even match. Heartland comes to the Lake on Saturday. They will be a tough opponent. Last year we played them a close game on a small field, but at the end of the season we played them on a different field and they handed it to us. I think we'll give them a little better game this year.
In the end 1-0-1 isn't a bad start, could be better, but it could be worse.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Season is under way
The day of the first game, although it was a scrimmage, has come and gone. We played Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas this past Saturday. I never thought August 22nd would get here. It's a long time between August 1st and the 22nd when you are conditioning, training, and playing inter squad games. The boys were eager to play, and the coaches were certainly eager to see the boys play someone else.
We had a good showing. Our possession game was very good and so was our defensive pressure. We could have finished a little better on a couple of headers, and our corners need a little work, but all in all it was a very good outing. Our freshman Keeper (Marcus Fernandez) got put to the test a few times and he had a good showing. He'll continue to improve with experience and training.
You're not supposed to keep score in "scrimmages", but we won 4-1,,,:) We had some goals by two freshmen, Thad Snell and Neil Houlihan, and one goal by one of our returning sophomores, Jared Butler. Josh Sears, Griffin Groves, Andy Jerome, Ceasar Garcia, and Jared White all had opportunities to put one in the back of the net, but it wasn't meant to be for them. We have an excellent starting front line and we have three to four more on the bench that will come in and spell those boys and do an excellent job.
What I was most proud of was our possession game. I love possession soccer. To be able to build the attack from the back with one and two touches passes, taking the ball wide to stretch the defense, then passing to the middle so that our mids can send the ball forward through lanes created by our forwards making creative runs is simply beautiful to watch. We have three very good mids that can get the job done, along with two - three reserves on the bench that can come in and make a positive contribution. If we continue to do what we did last Saturday, and improve on that part of our game, we will be a pretty tough team by mid season.
The one downside to the game was the concussion (or contusion the drs. can't seem to make up their mind) that Micah Duncan sustained early in the first half. He went up for a header in a crowd and took a shot to the head either with an elbow or another players head. He came off the field during a regular substitution complaining of blurred vision. So I set him out for the rest of the game and took him to the Emergency Room after his symptoms continued. But the Emergency Room Dr. said that the scan didn't reveal any serious damage and we were cleared to go home, after a 3.5 hour visit! Micah is day to day right now. He should be back in a week or so.
Our next match is the start of our "official" season. We go to Danville this Friday to play the team that beat us last year 2-1 with 10 seconds left on the clock. Needless to say, we want this game pretty bad. Hopefully we'll show up ready to play and give Danville a very good game.
We had a good showing. Our possession game was very good and so was our defensive pressure. We could have finished a little better on a couple of headers, and our corners need a little work, but all in all it was a very good outing. Our freshman Keeper (Marcus Fernandez) got put to the test a few times and he had a good showing. He'll continue to improve with experience and training.
You're not supposed to keep score in "scrimmages", but we won 4-1,,,:) We had some goals by two freshmen, Thad Snell and Neil Houlihan, and one goal by one of our returning sophomores, Jared Butler. Josh Sears, Griffin Groves, Andy Jerome, Ceasar Garcia, and Jared White all had opportunities to put one in the back of the net, but it wasn't meant to be for them. We have an excellent starting front line and we have three to four more on the bench that will come in and spell those boys and do an excellent job.
What I was most proud of was our possession game. I love possession soccer. To be able to build the attack from the back with one and two touches passes, taking the ball wide to stretch the defense, then passing to the middle so that our mids can send the ball forward through lanes created by our forwards making creative runs is simply beautiful to watch. We have three very good mids that can get the job done, along with two - three reserves on the bench that can come in and make a positive contribution. If we continue to do what we did last Saturday, and improve on that part of our game, we will be a pretty tough team by mid season.
The one downside to the game was the concussion (or contusion the drs. can't seem to make up their mind) that Micah Duncan sustained early in the first half. He went up for a header in a crowd and took a shot to the head either with an elbow or another players head. He came off the field during a regular substitution complaining of blurred vision. So I set him out for the rest of the game and took him to the Emergency Room after his symptoms continued. But the Emergency Room Dr. said that the scan didn't reveal any serious damage and we were cleared to go home, after a 3.5 hour visit! Micah is day to day right now. He should be back in a week or so.
Our next match is the start of our "official" season. We go to Danville this Friday to play the team that beat us last year 2-1 with 10 seconds left on the clock. Needless to say, we want this game pretty bad. Hopefully we'll show up ready to play and give Danville a very good game.
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