With most of the post-season activities now in the book, it is a good time to put the 2007 to bed.
Our team awards for this year were as follows:
Most Valuable Player--Tina Rodriguez
Most Improved Players--Carissa Nemmers, Patty Troxell
All CCIW First Team--Tina Rodriguez (2nd straight season)
All CCIW Second Team--Caroline Leighton (3rd season for this award)
All CCIW Second Team--Elizabeth Sinclair (1st time selection)
Captains for the 2008 season were announced at the banquet. They will be seniors Tina Rodriguez, Caroline Leighton, and Carissa Nemmers.
All Regional selections have not been announced yet. If any Titans appear on this I'll be sure to post it here.
The NCAA Championship game was played today. Wheaton College completed its undefeated season by defeating Messiah College 1-0 in the finals.
Our 2008 schedule is nearly complete and once a few more details are finalized I will be sure to post it on our website.
For now it is time to a) focus on off-season player development and b) to work on our recruiting class for next fall. We--the entire team of players and coaches--need to commit to putting our best feet forward between now and next August. It is really important that we have a good off season and build momentum and confidence for fall 2008. I am looking forward to the challenge.
Until next time, Go Titans!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thunder defeats Titans in OT, 3-2
In what can best be described as a gutty and gritty performance, the Titans certainly made the #1 ranked team in the nation at least a little nervous last night. Scoring just 2 minutes into the game to take the lead and then with four minutes remaining to tie the score, IWU stretched the Thunder into overtime for only the second time this season before Wheaton got the game winner just 3 minutes into the extra session.
We scored both of our goals off turnovers, something we talk with our team a lot about not giving away ourselves because of just this reason. For the first, Caroline Leighton stole the ball from Bethany Barton in midfield, carried the ball about 25 yards at a good angle, and played a through pass to Elizabeth Sinclair. The pass ended up just inside the penalty box and Elizabeth beat the keeper to the ball and clipped it past her for a 1-0 lead, the first such lead IWU has had against Wheaton since 2003.
Wheaton equalized when one of their players dribbled down the endline and served a ball into the goalbox. In an effort to clear it, there was a bit of miscommunication between our players and the ball ended up deflecting off a green shirt into the goal. A bit unfortunate and possibly avoidable, but again speaks to something we talk about all the time: when you put the defense on their heels and make dangerous service, something good could happen for you one way or another. That's exactly what happened against us on that play.
But we got to halftime at 1-1. I told the team at the break to expect an onslaught from the Thunder and sure enough that's what we got. They broke us down on the flanks, and earned corner kick after corner kick, in addition to putting our goalkeeper and back four under constant pressure for about 30 minutes in the second half. However, we got some luck and kept fighting and kept the game at 2-1, setting up some late game heroics.
Our second goal once again started when we stole the ball (thanks Lindsey Iseler) in their end. We caught them out of shape a bit and once Elizabeth turned with the ball she had a ton of time and space to line up her shot from the top of the box. It was a beauty that found the opposite side netting and sent the game into overtime.
I was really proud of the effort and determination displayed by the girls. We were undermanned due to injuries, and probably overmatched in ability but the team held strong and gave it their very best right 'til the end. It was a great result considering the alternative which could have seen the team play uninspired soccer given the task we had at hand. However, that didn't seem to cross the minds of our players and we at least caused the #1 team a bit of discomfort at home.
We end at a disappointing 7-8-3, our program's first losing season in 13 years. We have a lot of work to do to improve as I know nobody wants to see the same results in 2008. Hopefully we'll all be up to the task in the next 10 months before we play our first game of 2008 on August 30.
Thanks to all of the fans who came out to support the team last night and all season long. The parents, families, alumnae, and friends were all great this year in supporting our efforts. Hopefully we'll have more to cheer about next year!
Go Titans!
We scored both of our goals off turnovers, something we talk with our team a lot about not giving away ourselves because of just this reason. For the first, Caroline Leighton stole the ball from Bethany Barton in midfield, carried the ball about 25 yards at a good angle, and played a through pass to Elizabeth Sinclair. The pass ended up just inside the penalty box and Elizabeth beat the keeper to the ball and clipped it past her for a 1-0 lead, the first such lead IWU has had against Wheaton since 2003.
Wheaton equalized when one of their players dribbled down the endline and served a ball into the goalbox. In an effort to clear it, there was a bit of miscommunication between our players and the ball ended up deflecting off a green shirt into the goal. A bit unfortunate and possibly avoidable, but again speaks to something we talk about all the time: when you put the defense on their heels and make dangerous service, something good could happen for you one way or another. That's exactly what happened against us on that play.
But we got to halftime at 1-1. I told the team at the break to expect an onslaught from the Thunder and sure enough that's what we got. They broke us down on the flanks, and earned corner kick after corner kick, in addition to putting our goalkeeper and back four under constant pressure for about 30 minutes in the second half. However, we got some luck and kept fighting and kept the game at 2-1, setting up some late game heroics.
Our second goal once again started when we stole the ball (thanks Lindsey Iseler) in their end. We caught them out of shape a bit and once Elizabeth turned with the ball she had a ton of time and space to line up her shot from the top of the box. It was a beauty that found the opposite side netting and sent the game into overtime.
I was really proud of the effort and determination displayed by the girls. We were undermanned due to injuries, and probably overmatched in ability but the team held strong and gave it their very best right 'til the end. It was a great result considering the alternative which could have seen the team play uninspired soccer given the task we had at hand. However, that didn't seem to cross the minds of our players and we at least caused the #1 team a bit of discomfort at home.
We end at a disappointing 7-8-3, our program's first losing season in 13 years. We have a lot of work to do to improve as I know nobody wants to see the same results in 2008. Hopefully we'll all be up to the task in the next 10 months before we play our first game of 2008 on August 30.
Thanks to all of the fans who came out to support the team last night and all season long. The parents, families, alumnae, and friends were all great this year in supporting our efforts. Hopefully we'll have more to cheer about next year!
Go Titans!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Titans, Lady Reds tie 0-0; IWU gets 4th place in CCIW
After 110 exhausting minutes on Saturday afternoon, the Titans and Carthage Lady Reds left the field with a 0-0 draw. The result left the Titans at 7-7-3 and 3-3-1 in the CCIW. When the game ended, we did not know our fate in the conference as Elmhurst and Millikin were set to play on Sunday afternoon. Our friends from Elmhurst managed to defeat the Big Blue in Decatur, 2-1, putting the Titans into fourth place in the conference by one point over Millikin. With this, we earn the right to face Wheaton College tonight in the conference semi-finals.
The game on Saturday was a tough, physical affair with little offense created on either side of the field. The shot totals were 7-5 in favor of the visiting Lady Reds, but even those totals seem a bit high for both teams. Both sides defended really well and made it difficult for the other to attack. There were 29 fouls called in the game as well, so at the final whistle both teams may have been happy to see the game end.
The day was also an opportunity to honor and recognize the efforts of our seniors: captain Meghan Rynne and Megan Lucke. Both players saw considerable playing time during the game and contributed significantly to the result on Saturday. Both players gave their all during their Titan careers and hopefully will look back with great memories from their time wearing green and white.
But their careers aren't over just yet, as a trip to #1 Wheaton awaits us tonight. They are tough, but our goal is to make them earn whatever they get tonight. We are going to try to roll out our "A" game and give ourselves a chance to win in the end. The Thunder have won 38 games in a row going into tonight, and are 20-0 this season. We'll have our hands full, but we'll give it our very best! Go Titans!
The game on Saturday was a tough, physical affair with little offense created on either side of the field. The shot totals were 7-5 in favor of the visiting Lady Reds, but even those totals seem a bit high for both teams. Both sides defended really well and made it difficult for the other to attack. There were 29 fouls called in the game as well, so at the final whistle both teams may have been happy to see the game end.
The day was also an opportunity to honor and recognize the efforts of our seniors: captain Meghan Rynne and Megan Lucke. Both players saw considerable playing time during the game and contributed significantly to the result on Saturday. Both players gave their all during their Titan careers and hopefully will look back with great memories from their time wearing green and white.
But their careers aren't over just yet, as a trip to #1 Wheaton awaits us tonight. They are tough, but our goal is to make them earn whatever they get tonight. We are going to try to roll out our "A" game and give ourselves a chance to win in the end. The Thunder have won 38 games in a row going into tonight, and are 20-0 this season. We'll have our hands full, but we'll give it our very best! Go Titans!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Interesting week...
Well, we were supposed to have had a game this week....
On our way to South Bend to meet Hope College for a 6pm game on Wednesday, our 30-passenger bus made a seemingly harmless stop at the Lincoln Oasis in South Holland, Illinois. An essential break in the trip given no "facilities" on our bus. Well, when the driver tried to restart the bus when we were ready to depart, nothing happened other than the engine churning. So there we sat, wondering what to do and making a bunch of calls to IWU, Hope, the bus company, local mechanics, and anyone else we thought could help us either fix this bus or get us a new one so we could get to the game.
Alas, we failed on all fronts to get alternate transportation and were stuck at the rest stop, forced to cancel our game with Hope. On the bright side: nobody got hurt and nobody got any sicker :) This is a good thing considering our big game on Saturday against Carthage. The Lady Reds are 5-1 in the CCIW and 14-3 overall, losing recently to Wheaton 5-1. They have already clinched second place in the league and will host Augustana on Tuesday in the conference semifinals.
Fourth place is still up for grabs, with really three teams in the mix: us, Millikin, and Elmhurst. Last night, North Central lost to Millikin, 1-0, on a goal with under 2 minutes remaining in the game. Millikin is now 3-3 in the CCIW, as are we, but hold the tie-breaker advantage because they beat us earlier in the season. The Big Blue host Elmhurst in their season finale on Sunday at 2pm in Decatur. In order for us to secure 4th place, we must win on Saturday and hope that Elmhurst either beats or ties Millikin on Sunday. If Millikin wins, we are out and our season ends on Saturday. Go Bluejays!
But we have our hands full ourselves with Carthage. They are very difficult to play against and we've always struggled with them. Saturday is also the final home game for our Seniors who will be honored before the game with a ceremony thanking them for their service to Titan soccer. Game time on Saturday is 1pm. Go Titans!
On our way to South Bend to meet Hope College for a 6pm game on Wednesday, our 30-passenger bus made a seemingly harmless stop at the Lincoln Oasis in South Holland, Illinois. An essential break in the trip given no "facilities" on our bus. Well, when the driver tried to restart the bus when we were ready to depart, nothing happened other than the engine churning. So there we sat, wondering what to do and making a bunch of calls to IWU, Hope, the bus company, local mechanics, and anyone else we thought could help us either fix this bus or get us a new one so we could get to the game.
Alas, we failed on all fronts to get alternate transportation and were stuck at the rest stop, forced to cancel our game with Hope. On the bright side: nobody got hurt and nobody got any sicker :) This is a good thing considering our big game on Saturday against Carthage. The Lady Reds are 5-1 in the CCIW and 14-3 overall, losing recently to Wheaton 5-1. They have already clinched second place in the league and will host Augustana on Tuesday in the conference semifinals.
Fourth place is still up for grabs, with really three teams in the mix: us, Millikin, and Elmhurst. Last night, North Central lost to Millikin, 1-0, on a goal with under 2 minutes remaining in the game. Millikin is now 3-3 in the CCIW, as are we, but hold the tie-breaker advantage because they beat us earlier in the season. The Big Blue host Elmhurst in their season finale on Sunday at 2pm in Decatur. In order for us to secure 4th place, we must win on Saturday and hope that Elmhurst either beats or ties Millikin on Sunday. If Millikin wins, we are out and our season ends on Saturday. Go Bluejays!
But we have our hands full ourselves with Carthage. They are very difficult to play against and we've always struggled with them. Saturday is also the final home game for our Seniors who will be honored before the game with a ceremony thanking them for their service to Titan soccer. Game time on Saturday is 1pm. Go Titans!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Titans fit to be tied by St. Mary's, 1-1
Despite holding a significant advantage in shot attempts, the Titans could only manage a 1-1 double-overtime tie with the St. Mary's College Belles on Saturday afternoon here at IWU's Homecoming.
I was pleased with the effort of the team in the second half especially on Saturday. I thought we were a bit lethargic in our play for the first 45 minutes, but really turned things on in the second half and through overtime. I thought we did a nice job of controlled possession of the ball and really limiting the visitor's chances in our end. The Belles were very difficult to break down on the day, and our team couldn't put away the chances we were able to create, including one in the final minute that was cleared off the line after the goalkeeper had been beaten.
So it was another day where we were proud of our effort and determination, but disappointed and frustrated we didn't get the result we wanted. It's been one of those years where too many of these games have factored into play, but I guess every now and then these things happen. Hopefully we'll continue to learn from the experience and become better for it on and off the field.
We are off to South Bend, Indiana on Wednesday to play Hope College at 6pm eastern time. We are playing at the home of the Indiana Invaders of the PDL, so it should be a nice stadium environment for the game. Hope is a good team who is having their ups and downs like we are this season. And also like ourselves, Hope has conference games to think about this weekend. We'd like to get a win heading into the weekend showdown at home here against Carthage where we need to win to have a chance to qualify for our CCIW tournament. Stay tuned! Go Titans!
I was pleased with the effort of the team in the second half especially on Saturday. I thought we were a bit lethargic in our play for the first 45 minutes, but really turned things on in the second half and through overtime. I thought we did a nice job of controlled possession of the ball and really limiting the visitor's chances in our end. The Belles were very difficult to break down on the day, and our team couldn't put away the chances we were able to create, including one in the final minute that was cleared off the line after the goalkeeper had been beaten.
So it was another day where we were proud of our effort and determination, but disappointed and frustrated we didn't get the result we wanted. It's been one of those years where too many of these games have factored into play, but I guess every now and then these things happen. Hopefully we'll continue to learn from the experience and become better for it on and off the field.
We are off to South Bend, Indiana on Wednesday to play Hope College at 6pm eastern time. We are playing at the home of the Indiana Invaders of the PDL, so it should be a nice stadium environment for the game. Hope is a good team who is having their ups and downs like we are this season. And also like ourselves, Hope has conference games to think about this weekend. We'd like to get a win heading into the weekend showdown at home here against Carthage where we need to win to have a chance to qualify for our CCIW tournament. Stay tuned! Go Titans!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Augie drops Titans, 2-0 in key CCIW game
The Titan women's soccer team fell to 6-7-1 and 2-3 in the CCIW with a 2-0 loss at Augustana on Saturday evening. Unfortunately, the team fell behind in the first minute of the game when the Vikings scored their first goal. We had to chase the game at that point and although we didn't play badly, we struggled to get past the tough Viking defense. The score remained 1-0 through the first half and then the home side got their second goal only 9 minutes into the second half off a corner kick.
Playing against Augustana is always emotional, and they have a distinct home field advantage playing in their stadium. We now do not control our own destiny in terms of putting ourselves in position to play in the CCIW tournament and have a chance at the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Wheaton is locked in at #1 seed (barring an upset by Carthage), Carthage is 3-0 is second, and then Millkin (3-2), Augustana (3-2), Elmhurst (2-3), and IWU (2-3) fighting for the final two spots. If we win Wednesday against North Central and then in our home finale against Carthage, we'd be at 4-3 and would have a chance to qualify. It has been a funny conference this year, so I guess anything is possible. Most importantly, we need to focus on what we can control, which is our own business, and that begins by playing well on Wednesday at home. Go Titans!
Playing against Augustana is always emotional, and they have a distinct home field advantage playing in their stadium. We now do not control our own destiny in terms of putting ourselves in position to play in the CCIW tournament and have a chance at the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Wheaton is locked in at #1 seed (barring an upset by Carthage), Carthage is 3-0 is second, and then Millkin (3-2), Augustana (3-2), Elmhurst (2-3), and IWU (2-3) fighting for the final two spots. If we win Wednesday against North Central and then in our home finale against Carthage, we'd be at 4-3 and would have a chance to qualify. It has been a funny conference this year, so I guess anything is possible. Most importantly, we need to focus on what we can control, which is our own business, and that begins by playing well on Wednesday at home. Go Titans!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Titans give little Sam birthday gift with win over Elmhurst
With Dad staying behind with Mom and Sam on the little one's birthday, the Titans took to the road once again and defeated Elmhurst 3-0. This was an important win for us as it brought us to 6-6-1 overall and 2-2 in the CCIW. We have three conference games remaining, beginning with an important game at Augustana on Saturday night in Rock Island. Augustana is currently 2-2 in the CCIW as well, so the victor on Saturday will have an important edge in the standings.
Not having seen the game myself on Tuesday, I don't want to make too many specific comments about how things went. The reports from Craig were positive about the team's performance in very windy conditions. I am proud of the entire team for rallying to play well after defeats in our two previous games. Playing in the middle of the day during the week is difficult, so I am pleased that the group responded to the challenge presented to them on Tuesday.
I will be back with the team for the game on Saturday evening, leaving Mom and Sam at home with one set of grandparents and Fenway watching over the house. We have had a good week of practice so far so we're all keeping our fingers crossed that last weekend's performance against Wheaton will propel us through the last stretch of games and get us into the CCIW tournament. (By the way, Wheaton won again on Wednesday defeating UW Eau Claire 2-1 on a goal by #16 (surprise) with only :15 left in the game. Eau Claire had been 11-0-1 prior to the game.)
Go Titans!
Not having seen the game myself on Tuesday, I don't want to make too many specific comments about how things went. The reports from Craig were positive about the team's performance in very windy conditions. I am proud of the entire team for rallying to play well after defeats in our two previous games. Playing in the middle of the day during the week is difficult, so I am pleased that the group responded to the challenge presented to them on Tuesday.
I will be back with the team for the game on Saturday evening, leaving Mom and Sam at home with one set of grandparents and Fenway watching over the house. We have had a good week of practice so far so we're all keeping our fingers crossed that last weekend's performance against Wheaton will propel us through the last stretch of games and get us into the CCIW tournament. (By the way, Wheaton won again on Wednesday defeating UW Eau Claire 2-1 on a goal by #16 (surprise) with only :15 left in the game. Eau Claire had been 11-0-1 prior to the game.)
Go Titans!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Proud to be a Titan
On Saturday evening, the Titans welcomed the #1 team in the nation, Wheaton College, to Blooomington for a CCIW showdown. The team came together and played not only with heart and determination, but also with their heads for all 90 minutes. We unfortunately came out on the short end of the 2-0 result, giving Wheaton their 32nd straight win and improving their record to 14-0 this season.
We did a lot of great things and I thought we got one right with our tactics. Wheaton has been averaging about 6 goals per game and taking an average of 25 shots per game, just incredible figures for soccer. We thought that if we could minimize their chances and create some chances off our organized pressure we'd have a chance.
Have a chance we did. At halftime the score was knotted 0-0 and Wheaton only had 5 shots in the period. We only managed one shot but were in their end as much as they were in ours. We caught them offsides several times and that proved to be an effective tool on our side throughout the match.
Wheaton scored early in the second half off a very good effort from one of their All-Americans to go up 1-0 with 43 minutes to play in the game. We didn't back down, and created some forward momentum for the rest of the game. When it was still a one-goal game, we had a couple of looks off corner kicks, and kept play in the midfield for the majority of the time. They got a second goal on a bit of a scrappy play, and although we were down two like true Titan soccer players we didn't stop fighting until the end. At the end of the day, however, Wheaton just has 3-5 players who should be playing at the division 1 level and were simply too good.
It was a true team effort from everyone, starting 11 on down through the reserves on the sidelines who were into the game from the get-go. Our back four of Tina Rodriguez, Patty Troxell, Carissa Nemmers, and freshman Tori Samson played very well against three of the best strikers in the nation. Our goalkeeper Alli Novak was steady in holding onto the ball and not giving them any rebounds to pounce on around the goal. All of our midfielders and forwards worked very hard and really played super against a very good side. If we can find a way to bottle the emotional and physical effort put forward last night for our remaining 6 games we'll make some noise down the stretch.
Next up is an away game at Elmhurst on Tuesday afternoon. Our challenge will be to put on our best efforts in a mid-week, mid-afternoon affair. Elmhurst is a tough team, who took Augustana to overtime on Saturday before falling 1-0. We have 5 CCIW games remaining, and if we win them all we'd have a chance to be the #2 seed in the conference tournament, and that should be our goal for the stretch run. Go Titans!
We did a lot of great things and I thought we got one right with our tactics. Wheaton has been averaging about 6 goals per game and taking an average of 25 shots per game, just incredible figures for soccer. We thought that if we could minimize their chances and create some chances off our organized pressure we'd have a chance.
Have a chance we did. At halftime the score was knotted 0-0 and Wheaton only had 5 shots in the period. We only managed one shot but were in their end as much as they were in ours. We caught them offsides several times and that proved to be an effective tool on our side throughout the match.
Wheaton scored early in the second half off a very good effort from one of their All-Americans to go up 1-0 with 43 minutes to play in the game. We didn't back down, and created some forward momentum for the rest of the game. When it was still a one-goal game, we had a couple of looks off corner kicks, and kept play in the midfield for the majority of the time. They got a second goal on a bit of a scrappy play, and although we were down two like true Titan soccer players we didn't stop fighting until the end. At the end of the day, however, Wheaton just has 3-5 players who should be playing at the division 1 level and were simply too good.
It was a true team effort from everyone, starting 11 on down through the reserves on the sidelines who were into the game from the get-go. Our back four of Tina Rodriguez, Patty Troxell, Carissa Nemmers, and freshman Tori Samson played very well against three of the best strikers in the nation. Our goalkeeper Alli Novak was steady in holding onto the ball and not giving them any rebounds to pounce on around the goal. All of our midfielders and forwards worked very hard and really played super against a very good side. If we can find a way to bottle the emotional and physical effort put forward last night for our remaining 6 games we'll make some noise down the stretch.
Next up is an away game at Elmhurst on Tuesday afternoon. Our challenge will be to put on our best efforts in a mid-week, mid-afternoon affair. Elmhurst is a tough team, who took Augustana to overtime on Saturday before falling 1-0. We have 5 CCIW games remaining, and if we win them all we'd have a chance to be the #2 seed in the conference tournament, and that should be our goal for the stretch run. Go Titans!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Millikin drops Titans for first win ever vs. IWU
This one is a tough one to discuss....
In what easily is one of the most disappointing results in IWU soccer history, the team droped a 3-2 decision to Millikin in Decatur Wednesday afternoon. It was Millikin's first ever win over IWU women's soccer.
To Millkin's credit, they thoroughly outworked us and out played us for all 107 minutes. They deserved to win and we didn't. Had we escaped we would have been stopped by the Decatur police for robbery before leaving town.
About the only redeeming quality of the day was the fact we battled back from a goal down and tied the game with under 5 minutes to play in regulation on a breakaway goal by Carlie Hoekstra that we thought gave us momentum to win it in overtime. Alas, our third defensive breakdown of the game was punished by a Millikin player and created a sense of euphoria on the Big Blue sideline.
So we need to regroup...again. This time we have a monumental task ahead of us on Saturday when #1 ranked, undefeated, and owners of a 30 game winning streak, Wheaton Thunder come to Bloomington for a 7pm match. We are going to have our hands full and will no doubt need to be at our best to have a chance to get a result against the defending national champions.
Go Titans!
In what easily is one of the most disappointing results in IWU soccer history, the team droped a 3-2 decision to Millikin in Decatur Wednesday afternoon. It was Millikin's first ever win over IWU women's soccer.
To Millkin's credit, they thoroughly outworked us and out played us for all 107 minutes. They deserved to win and we didn't. Had we escaped we would have been stopped by the Decatur police for robbery before leaving town.
About the only redeeming quality of the day was the fact we battled back from a goal down and tied the game with under 5 minutes to play in regulation on a breakaway goal by Carlie Hoekstra that we thought gave us momentum to win it in overtime. Alas, our third defensive breakdown of the game was punished by a Millikin player and created a sense of euphoria on the Big Blue sideline.
So we need to regroup...again. This time we have a monumental task ahead of us on Saturday when #1 ranked, undefeated, and owners of a 30 game winning streak, Wheaton Thunder come to Bloomington for a 7pm match. We are going to have our hands full and will no doubt need to be at our best to have a chance to get a result against the defending national champions.
Go Titans!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Titans drop North Park, 5-0
On a beautiful night for soccer on the north side of Chicago, the Titans took to the field against a game but overmatched North Park Viking squad and came away with a much needed 5-0 victory. With the win, the team's record improves to 5-4-1 and 1-0 in the league.
The scoring started in the first half with freshman Alyssa Feulner's first career goal. Despite having other opportunities to increase the lead before the break, the Titans were only able to manage the one goal in the first half. As has been our trend this season, we have been very strong coming out of the intermission, and Saturday night was no different as we scored 4 goals in the second half.
Our second goal came off a nice build up through the midfield. Feulner played a nice through pass to classmate Carlie Hoekstra who beat a defender in the penalty box and slotted a nice pass to a wide open Elizabeth Sinclair who tapped in an easy one from 6 yards away. Sinclair got her second goal of the night when she beat a defender on the left side of the box and hammered home the third Titan goal of the night. The final two tallies came off the foot of Caroline Leighton, who scored her team-leading 7th and 8th goals of the season to create the final 5-0 margin.
It was certainly nice to get some goals on our side, and frankly catch a bit of luck finally going our way as the Viking goalkeeper certainly didn't have one of her better games in goal. But, after being foiled time and time again in the first half of the year with good saves by goalkeepers and goalposts, we weren't about to complain about something finally going our way.
We're back at it this week at CCIW foe Millikin (8-3) on Wednesday afternoon, and then hosting #1 ranked and unbeaten Wheaton College on Saturday night for what will surely be our most challenging game of the season so far.
Go Titans!
The scoring started in the first half with freshman Alyssa Feulner's first career goal. Despite having other opportunities to increase the lead before the break, the Titans were only able to manage the one goal in the first half. As has been our trend this season, we have been very strong coming out of the intermission, and Saturday night was no different as we scored 4 goals in the second half.
Our second goal came off a nice build up through the midfield. Feulner played a nice through pass to classmate Carlie Hoekstra who beat a defender in the penalty box and slotted a nice pass to a wide open Elizabeth Sinclair who tapped in an easy one from 6 yards away. Sinclair got her second goal of the night when she beat a defender on the left side of the box and hammered home the third Titan goal of the night. The final two tallies came off the foot of Caroline Leighton, who scored her team-leading 7th and 8th goals of the season to create the final 5-0 margin.
It was certainly nice to get some goals on our side, and frankly catch a bit of luck finally going our way as the Viking goalkeeper certainly didn't have one of her better games in goal. But, after being foiled time and time again in the first half of the year with good saves by goalkeepers and goalposts, we weren't about to complain about something finally going our way.
We're back at it this week at CCIW foe Millikin (8-3) on Wednesday afternoon, and then hosting #1 ranked and unbeaten Wheaton College on Saturday night for what will surely be our most challenging game of the season so far.
Go Titans!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Titans can't find the answer to Loras, lose 1-0
After three straight games on the road, the Titans took to the friendly confines of Neis Field on Wednesday evening hoping to get back on the winning track. The team faced a familiar foe in Loras College, who the Titans have played each year since 2002, including in the NCAA tournament in 2005. Each of those games had all been decided by only one goal, and once again the Titan/Duhawk match up resulted in a one-goal game, this time with the Titans coming up on the short end of the score. The Duhawks scored in the first half when we failed to clear a corner kick opportunity and one of their players stepped in front of us and knocked home the loose ball.
We have sputtered in our attack so far this season, scoring only 12 goals in the first 9 games (by the way, half of the regular season is now behind us; time sure does fly!). We did manage to create some dangerous chances against Loras, with our best chance coming just a minute into the second half when Carly Calkins beat the Duhawk keeper to the short side, only to have the ball deflect off the post. We were consistently in the Loras end for much of the second half, but were unable to attack with the consistency and sharpness needed to create legitimate scoring chances for ourselves.
I asked the girls before the game to play with a renewed conviction and commitment to each other. I believe the team did that on Wednesday night as looking back at the game (after watching the video) I can't fault the effort or determination. On Saturday we embark on the second half of the regular season with our first conference game at North Park. 9 games to go to try to position ourselves for something beyond October 27th. However, I have asked the team to not look past the next day, be it a practice or a game. At 4-4-1, we are looking up at a lot of teams in the league and in the region at the moment, and in order to climb forward we need to follow the old cliche of taking things a day at a time. Our mission is to improve daily, not be distracted by elements, opponents, or other; and as mid-term time approaches we'll need to really have a renewed focus when we step on the field.
We are looking forward to the next challenge moving into the CCIW schedule. We have faith that as long as we keep working to improve our execution we'll make the necessary strides to become the team we envision for ourselves. Go Titans!
We have sputtered in our attack so far this season, scoring only 12 goals in the first 9 games (by the way, half of the regular season is now behind us; time sure does fly!). We did manage to create some dangerous chances against Loras, with our best chance coming just a minute into the second half when Carly Calkins beat the Duhawk keeper to the short side, only to have the ball deflect off the post. We were consistently in the Loras end for much of the second half, but were unable to attack with the consistency and sharpness needed to create legitimate scoring chances for ourselves.
I asked the girls before the game to play with a renewed conviction and commitment to each other. I believe the team did that on Wednesday night as looking back at the game (after watching the video) I can't fault the effort or determination. On Saturday we embark on the second half of the regular season with our first conference game at North Park. 9 games to go to try to position ourselves for something beyond October 27th. However, I have asked the team to not look past the next day, be it a practice or a game. At 4-4-1, we are looking up at a lot of teams in the league and in the region at the moment, and in order to climb forward we need to follow the old cliche of taking things a day at a time. Our mission is to improve daily, not be distracted by elements, opponents, or other; and as mid-term time approaches we'll need to really have a renewed focus when we step on the field.
We are looking forward to the next challenge moving into the CCIW schedule. We have faith that as long as we keep working to improve our execution we'll make the necessary strides to become the team we envision for ourselves. Go Titans!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Wash U Bears handle Titans, 1-0
On a very hot and steamy fall day in St. Louis, the Titans fell to a very good Wash U team by a score of 1-0. With the defeat, the Titans drop to 4-3-1 on the year, while Wash U improves to 8-0.
While the score may indicate a close game, we never really threatened the Wash U goal with the exception of a good chance from freshman Carlie Hoekstra off a cross from Caroline Leighton in the first half. Unfortunately Carlie's shot sailed over the bar and that was really our only offensive chance of the game. The Bears goalkeeper did not have to make a save on Sunday.
Our goalkeeper, freshman Alli Novak, played a good game making 10 saves on the day. The Bears' goal came when a shot bounced away from Alli, right to a waiting Bear striker who calmly finished her chance and gave Wash U all the offense they needed on the day.
Lots to work on this week as we get ready for a difficult game on Wednesday night at home against Loras College. They lost to this same Wash U team 2-1 in overtime a couple of weeks back, so they will be a tough team for us. We then travel to Chicago on Saturday to open our conference season at North Park University.
Go Titans!
While the score may indicate a close game, we never really threatened the Wash U goal with the exception of a good chance from freshman Carlie Hoekstra off a cross from Caroline Leighton in the first half. Unfortunately Carlie's shot sailed over the bar and that was really our only offensive chance of the game. The Bears goalkeeper did not have to make a save on Sunday.
Our goalkeeper, freshman Alli Novak, played a good game making 10 saves on the day. The Bears' goal came when a shot bounced away from Alli, right to a waiting Bear striker who calmly finished her chance and gave Wash U all the offense they needed on the day.
Lots to work on this week as we get ready for a difficult game on Wednesday night at home against Loras College. They lost to this same Wash U team 2-1 in overtime a couple of weeks back, so they will be a tough team for us. We then travel to Chicago on Saturday to open our conference season at North Park University.
Go Titans!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Titans defeat Lake Forest, 4-1
(2007 IWU Women's Soccer Team photo)First, let me apologize for the delay in posting this week. I spent most of yesterday watching video...of our game with Lake Forest and some footage of our next opponent, Wash U. I know there are several who check this regularly so I'll try to be more timely along the way :)
The game on Wednesday at Lake Forest was a significant improvement over our last performance versus Maryville. The 4-1 result was fair, considering we outshot the hosts 30-6 and hit the post twice. The score was level at 1-1 at halftime, although the hosts only had one good chance and caught us one time and unfortunately took us off stride for the final 15 minutes or so of the first half.
We opened the scoring in the 6th minute when two freshmen hooked up on the goal. Alyssa Feulner played a nice through pass to Carlie Hoekstra who hit a nice shot past the keeper for her first college goal. We opened the second half with a renewed focus in our attack and it showed in the results. The second IWU goal of the day was scored by Caroline Leighton, her 6th of the season, off another assist from Feulner. The final two goals of the day came from Elizabeth Sinclair, her first two of the year, in the 63rd and 68th minutes of the game to put the match on ice.
It was good that we were able to get this result. We had been struggling to find the target and create scoring chances for ourselves. The fact we took so many strikes at the goal hopefully is a sign that we have broken free of our attacking issues. At least I hope this is a positive sign given we have two important regional games coming up: first, at undefeated and nationally-ranked Washington University (#4 according to D3kicks.com and #10 according to the NSCAA), and then Loras College comes to Bloomington on Wednesday night. We have had tough games with each of these teams over the past few seasons and I certainly expect nothing less than the same in the next few days. At 4-2-1, we are reaching a critical stretch of games with about a third of the season now behind us, two crucial regional games and then the start of the conference season on the horizon. It will be important for us to keep getting better and hopefully get some good results over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!
Go Titans!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Titans survivie trip to Maryville, 1-0
The Titans traveled to St. Louis on Saturday to take on a feisty Maryville University team. Although not playing our best soccer, the team managed to survive and win 1-0. The game winning goal was scored by Caroline Leighton off an assist from Elizabeth Sinclair in the 66th minute.
The statistics indicated that we only out-shot the hosts by a 12-10 margin, but I think the host statistician kept totals that were flattering to Maryville. We never really conceded any dangerous chances, and while Alli was credited with 9 saves, none were particularly challenging. Contrast this with the performance of the Maryville keeper who was credited with 10 saves and several were of the spectacular variety, both in the first and second halves, keeping her team in the game.
Disclaimer: this is not an excuse for less than exemplary performance, however the field we played on at the Sportport Complex in Maryland Heights was, shall we say, substandard at best. As a result of a dry, hard, dirt-filled surface, the ball was bouncing higher than normal and not taking very direct paths as it traveled across the ground. This made for a not-so-pretty game to watch, especially in the first half. However, we did find two great chances to score in the first 45 minutes, only to be turned away be fine goalkeeping each time.
The second half was played nearly entirely in the Maryville end, save the final few frantic minutes when they pushed numbers forward trying to equalize. We managed to pressure the Maryville goal regularly and finally broke through when Elizabeth and Caroline combined on the goal. We had several other chances to put the game to bed, but unfortunately couldn't get the second goal.
We are back in action at Lake Forest College on Wednesday afternoon for a 4:30 kickoff, and then head back to St. Louis to face #11 Washington University next Sunday afternoon.
Go Titans!
The statistics indicated that we only out-shot the hosts by a 12-10 margin, but I think the host statistician kept totals that were flattering to Maryville. We never really conceded any dangerous chances, and while Alli was credited with 9 saves, none were particularly challenging. Contrast this with the performance of the Maryville keeper who was credited with 10 saves and several were of the spectacular variety, both in the first and second halves, keeping her team in the game.
Disclaimer: this is not an excuse for less than exemplary performance, however the field we played on at the Sportport Complex in Maryland Heights was, shall we say, substandard at best. As a result of a dry, hard, dirt-filled surface, the ball was bouncing higher than normal and not taking very direct paths as it traveled across the ground. This made for a not-so-pretty game to watch, especially in the first half. However, we did find two great chances to score in the first 45 minutes, only to be turned away be fine goalkeeping each time.
The second half was played nearly entirely in the Maryville end, save the final few frantic minutes when they pushed numbers forward trying to equalize. We managed to pressure the Maryville goal regularly and finally broke through when Elizabeth and Caroline combined on the goal. We had several other chances to put the game to bed, but unfortunately couldn't get the second goal.
We are back in action at Lake Forest College on Wednesday afternoon for a 4:30 kickoff, and then head back to St. Louis to face #11 Washington University next Sunday afternoon.
Go Titans!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Chicago drops Titans, 2-0.
Facing their second top 20 team in 6 days, the Titans dropped a 2-0 decision to the University of Chicago on Wednesday evening in Bloomington.
The first half was rough for us. We seemed a step slow compared to the Maroons who were very sharp coming out to begin the game. We had real difficulties holding the ball, and frankly, more difficulties just winning the ball as the Chicago defenders continually were a step quicker than us in getting to our service forward. UC had the vast majority of possession in the first half, but didn't manage a ton of quality chances and they were offsides a number of times. We did defend very well all evening, but specifically in the first half when we couldn't hold the ball in their end of the field. UC didn't get on the board until 3 minutes before half on a very strange play. A service into a dangerous area of the field created some indecision on the part of our team and as a result a very soft shot finding its way into the goal. The lesson here was that serves, while not necessarily anything great, as long as they are played into danger areas create problems and can lead to goals.
The second half looked like a different game. Instead of defending so much as we did in the first half, we instead maintained the majority of possession and looked much more like the team we'd like to be. Unfortunately we failed to be dangerous consistently in the final third, save for a couple of shots from distance that did manage to test their keeper. Our best scoring chances, oddly enough, may have occured in the first half against the run of play. UC put the game away when they scored on a shot from distance that dipped and swerved, catching our freshman goalkeeper Alli Novak and putting the Maroons up 2-0.
On the bright side we did play possibly our best soccer of the season for the first 25-30 minutes of the second half. We actually kept the ball and made Chicago defend. us through the middle third. Our next charge is to be more dangerous going forward. We have been shut out in 3 of our first 5 games. This needs to improve for us to be successful this season. We have been outshot by our opponents so far this season as well, so we need to find ways to be more creative around the goal, a challenge for our team.
We're off to face Maryville University in St. Louis on Saturday hoping to get back on track.
Go Titans!
The first half was rough for us. We seemed a step slow compared to the Maroons who were very sharp coming out to begin the game. We had real difficulties holding the ball, and frankly, more difficulties just winning the ball as the Chicago defenders continually were a step quicker than us in getting to our service forward. UC had the vast majority of possession in the first half, but didn't manage a ton of quality chances and they were offsides a number of times. We did defend very well all evening, but specifically in the first half when we couldn't hold the ball in their end of the field. UC didn't get on the board until 3 minutes before half on a very strange play. A service into a dangerous area of the field created some indecision on the part of our team and as a result a very soft shot finding its way into the goal. The lesson here was that serves, while not necessarily anything great, as long as they are played into danger areas create problems and can lead to goals.
The second half looked like a different game. Instead of defending so much as we did in the first half, we instead maintained the majority of possession and looked much more like the team we'd like to be. Unfortunately we failed to be dangerous consistently in the final third, save for a couple of shots from distance that did manage to test their keeper. Our best scoring chances, oddly enough, may have occured in the first half against the run of play. UC put the game away when they scored on a shot from distance that dipped and swerved, catching our freshman goalkeeper Alli Novak and putting the Maroons up 2-0.
On the bright side we did play possibly our best soccer of the season for the first 25-30 minutes of the second half. We actually kept the ball and made Chicago defend. us through the middle third. Our next charge is to be more dangerous going forward. We have been shut out in 3 of our first 5 games. This needs to improve for us to be successful this season. We have been outshot by our opponents so far this season as well, so we need to find ways to be more creative around the goal, a challenge for our team.
We're off to face Maryville University in St. Louis on Saturday hoping to get back on track.
Go Titans!
Monday, September 10, 2007
New York Trip ends on a high note
(The photo on the right is the team at the Soccer Hall of Fame with the 1999 World Cup trophy.)On a rainy and gray day in upstate New York, the Titans took to the field on Sunday to try to recover from the drubbing they took on Saturday at the hands of Oneonta State. The team handled the soggy conditions quite well and handed host Hartwick College a 5-0 defeat.
The team was led by two scorers: Caroline Leighton and Kelsey Porter who had 3 and 2 goals respectively. C's first goal was a beautiful half-volley strike off a flicked corner kick. Caroline buried the shot in the top corner for an early 1-0 lead. We then struggled to find our way, not really getting a rhythm going until late in the first half when Caroline struck again off a nice assist from KPort to make it 2-0 at the half.
Caroline got her hat trick early in the second half, and then KPort took over getting the final two goals. Her first college goal came off a great long ball from Carissa Nemmers and it was a nice finish. There were a couple of highlight worthy goals on Sunday, so hopefully that gives us a lift heading into games this week.
The trip was overall a great time. The city of Oneonta does a great job hosting the Mayor's Cup Tournament. It is a huge deal for the city and we certainly were well taken care of during our stay. The only thing I wished for (in addition to a better result on Saturday) was that the fall foliage season would have been further along. While there were a few yellows and oranges visible, we were likely 2-3 weeks early and the girls missed the chance to see some amazing colors of the rolling northeastern hills. Being a native of New England, fall just isn't the same anywhere else in the country! Maybe on our next trip we'll time it better :)
Back to work this week as we go right into the fire hosting the University of Chicago who are again a very, very strong side. We'll have to be at our best to compete on Wednesday night, so hopefully an offday Monday will help rest are travel-weary bodies.
Go Titans!
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Tough opening day in New York
The Titans faced one formidable foe today in Oneonta State who defeated the Titans 4-0. We were outshot by a large margin (22-7) and were smacked around by a team who was bigger, faster, stronger, and just a better team than us. Oneonta was 18-3-1 last year and returns 10 of the starters off that team. This is an excellent team who has the makings of a long run into the NCAA tournament if they stay healthy and get a bit of luck during the season. This hopefully will be excellent preparation for tough in region games upcoming against Chicago, Wash U, Loras, Wheaton, Augustana, and Carthage. However, we have to actually put into play the lessons of today, and not just talk about it. Hopefully we can do that Sunday.
Enough about how good they were today. We fortunately playing right away tomorrow morning against Hartwick College. Indications are that Hartwick are not as strong as our opponents today. We need to put the lessons of today into play right away tomorrow and regain some of our confidence.
It has been an interesting trip so far. We barely made our flight out of O'Hare (traffic and a couple of players late to the bus caused the delay), however the folks at American Airlines were superb in getting us through security, checking bags, and holding the plane. When all was said and done, we arrived at the check in desk at 7:20 and the plane pushed back from the gate at 8:02, so kudos to everyone (including our girls who rallied and sprinted across the airport) for making it happen. The tournament here is awesome. They run a first rate tournament here at the Mayor's Cup, very well organized from start to finish so far. We played on a great field today at Oneonta and tomorrow's field is also going to be an awesome surface to play on. We also made a visit to the National Soccer Hall of Fame yesterday and got a team picture taken with the Women's World Cup trophy our US team won back in 1999. Aside from the result today, the trip has been good for us so far. Now if we can just get a win tomorrow....
Go Titans!
Enough about how good they were today. We fortunately playing right away tomorrow morning against Hartwick College. Indications are that Hartwick are not as strong as our opponents today. We need to put the lessons of today into play right away tomorrow and regain some of our confidence.
It has been an interesting trip so far. We barely made our flight out of O'Hare (traffic and a couple of players late to the bus caused the delay), however the folks at American Airlines were superb in getting us through security, checking bags, and holding the plane. When all was said and done, we arrived at the check in desk at 7:20 and the plane pushed back from the gate at 8:02, so kudos to everyone (including our girls who rallied and sprinted across the airport) for making it happen. The tournament here is awesome. They run a first rate tournament here at the Mayor's Cup, very well organized from start to finish so far. We played on a great field today at Oneonta and tomorrow's field is also going to be an awesome surface to play on. We also made a visit to the National Soccer Hall of Fame yesterday and got a team picture taken with the Women's World Cup trophy our US team won back in 1999. Aside from the result today, the trip has been good for us so far. Now if we can just get a win tomorrow....
Go Titans!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Titans earn win, tie in Titan Soccer Classic
What a weekend! Absolultely beautiful weather hovered over Bloomington and made for a great opening weekend of soccer. The results were not bad considering our walking M*A*S*H unit we have for a team at the present time.
We fought back against St. Thomas after giving away a not so great goal to win 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. Junior Carly Calkins scored the game winning goal with only :49 showing on the clock on a nice assist from sophomore Elizabeth Sinclair. The Titans tied the game in the 76th minute when Caroline Leighton knocked home her own rebound past the Tommie's keeper. One of the things working in our favor on Saturday was the fact we really wore down the St. Thomas back four who were bent over at the waist gasping for breath after each goal.
Saturday was made even better because the parents of the players threw an amazing tailgate! There was a strong parent contingency and they really know how to have fun! The entire team (plus the officials, game staff, etc.) all loved the food!
On Sunday we faced a very strong team from Wisconsin-Stevens Point. SP had defeated division 1 UW Green Bay 6-1 in a preseason scrimmage, and blasted CCIW foe Elmhurst College on Saturday 5-0. Given that we didn't play all that well ourselves on Saturday and we were a bit banged up, we needed to make a few adjustments heading into the game today.
My assistant Craig Lee and I felt really good about our tactics as the game unfolded. We changed shape to begin the game and adjusted again at the half to put more pressure on the Stevens Point defenders. While each team had a few quality looks at goal, I personally thought we had the two best of the day that narrowly missed going under the crossbar from close range. Once again I thought our fitness was stronger at the end (although we were gassed too) and we just couldn't find the back of the net. So, a 0-0 tie after 2OT was the result from Sunday, leaving the Titans 1-0-1 on the early season.
I was pleased with a number of performances, and at the risk of forgetting someone here are a few that standout: freshman goalkeeper Alli Novak was very steady and made a great save each game for us; center back Tina Rodriguez was very, very, good...if we can keep her healthy she is on the cusp of a great season; Carissa Nemmers made a big statement with her play this weekend at right back; and freshman Carile Hoekstra was the engine that never stopped playing in her first collegiate games. We played a lot of bodies and it is important to note that everyone played a big role in our positive results this weekend.
We are off to upstate New York this weekend to face SUNY-Oneonta (top 15 team in the nation) and Hartwick College in the Mayor's Cup. We are very excited for the first out of region trip of this nature for Titan Soccer. We'll visit the US Soccer Hall of Fame while in Oneonta and I hope to blog on Saturday night after our first game versus Oneonta State.
Go Titans!
We fought back against St. Thomas after giving away a not so great goal to win 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. Junior Carly Calkins scored the game winning goal with only :49 showing on the clock on a nice assist from sophomore Elizabeth Sinclair. The Titans tied the game in the 76th minute when Caroline Leighton knocked home her own rebound past the Tommie's keeper. One of the things working in our favor on Saturday was the fact we really wore down the St. Thomas back four who were bent over at the waist gasping for breath after each goal.
Saturday was made even better because the parents of the players threw an amazing tailgate! There was a strong parent contingency and they really know how to have fun! The entire team (plus the officials, game staff, etc.) all loved the food!
On Sunday we faced a very strong team from Wisconsin-Stevens Point. SP had defeated division 1 UW Green Bay 6-1 in a preseason scrimmage, and blasted CCIW foe Elmhurst College on Saturday 5-0. Given that we didn't play all that well ourselves on Saturday and we were a bit banged up, we needed to make a few adjustments heading into the game today.
My assistant Craig Lee and I felt really good about our tactics as the game unfolded. We changed shape to begin the game and adjusted again at the half to put more pressure on the Stevens Point defenders. While each team had a few quality looks at goal, I personally thought we had the two best of the day that narrowly missed going under the crossbar from close range. Once again I thought our fitness was stronger at the end (although we were gassed too) and we just couldn't find the back of the net. So, a 0-0 tie after 2OT was the result from Sunday, leaving the Titans 1-0-1 on the early season.
I was pleased with a number of performances, and at the risk of forgetting someone here are a few that standout: freshman goalkeeper Alli Novak was very steady and made a great save each game for us; center back Tina Rodriguez was very, very, good...if we can keep her healthy she is on the cusp of a great season; Carissa Nemmers made a big statement with her play this weekend at right back; and freshman Carile Hoekstra was the engine that never stopped playing in her first collegiate games. We played a lot of bodies and it is important to note that everyone played a big role in our positive results this weekend.
We are off to upstate New York this weekend to face SUNY-Oneonta (top 15 team in the nation) and Hartwick College in the Mayor's Cup. We are very excited for the first out of region trip of this nature for Titan Soccer. We'll visit the US Soccer Hall of Fame while in Oneonta and I hope to blog on Saturday night after our first game versus Oneonta State.
Go Titans!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Titans tie Depauw in preseason exhibition
On a beautiful, sunny afternoon on Sunday, the Titans opened their 2007 campaign with a preseason game against #23 preseason ranked Depauw University. After falling behing 1-0, the Titans equalized late in the game on a goal from Emily Marcheschi (assist to Carly Calkins) and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
With both coaches being cautious with substitution patterns due to various injuries and wanting to give everyone a chance to perform on the day, the game lacked usual intensity that we would find in a regular season match up. However, the goal for the day was to get a look at what each team could do headed into the real thing next weekend. We tinkered with some formation changes and shifting personnel around during the 90 minute contest. I was pleased with our organization and with the fact that we came back after giving away a goal. We defended pretty well for the game, so lots to build upon although we'd all admit there are certainly some things we need to address before the real season begins on Saturday against University of St. Thomas.
This format is the new home for the Coaches' Corner. Feel free to post replies if you are inclined and perhaps we'll get a bit of a chat going between coaches and fans! I will post updates after each game during the course of the season, so be sure to check back here periodically!
Go Titans!
With both coaches being cautious with substitution patterns due to various injuries and wanting to give everyone a chance to perform on the day, the game lacked usual intensity that we would find in a regular season match up. However, the goal for the day was to get a look at what each team could do headed into the real thing next weekend. We tinkered with some formation changes and shifting personnel around during the 90 minute contest. I was pleased with our organization and with the fact that we came back after giving away a goal. We defended pretty well for the game, so lots to build upon although we'd all admit there are certainly some things we need to address before the real season begins on Saturday against University of St. Thomas.
This format is the new home for the Coaches' Corner. Feel free to post replies if you are inclined and perhaps we'll get a bit of a chat going between coaches and fans! I will post updates after each game during the course of the season, so be sure to check back here periodically!
Go Titans!
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