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!