It has been a positive season so far, on so many levels, and after barreling through our conference games we are now in a holding pattern. Last week was our most demanding of the season so far, and I am continually impressed by the focus and drive of the members of this team.
We played an incredibly hard-fought battle against UW-Eau Claire (ranked #22 in the country) on Wednesday. We held them scoreless for the first 70 minutes of the game. After they scored, we nearly put in the equalizer had it not been for the athleticism of their goalie. They snuck in a second goal with 20 seconds left in the game and we were drained of everything we had brought to the field that day.
There was no rest for the weary and we had to muster up the same level of intensity and focus for our Saturday roadtrip to Whitewater for another epic battle. This time we put ourselves on the board first, but we were unable to hold on to the lead in the second half and lost the match 2-1.
Unbelievably, the women on this team were able to get themselves up again for our match against MIAC powerhouse St. Benedict's for our Senior Day game on Sunday. It was a back and forth game in playmaking and in scoring. We put ourselves up 1-0 and they battled back to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. We tied it up and then in the final 17 minutes of the game they stayed after a ball banging around in the box and after all the bodies had landed, the ball was in the back of the net. We lost the game 3-2, but it was a victory in spirit.
It took an incredible amount of energy for the team to stay up for game after game after game, and there truly was not a let down of the sort that would indicate a loss of focus. Practices this week have been similar and we look to recapture our home-field winnning record when we take on St. Mary's and Hamline in two non-conference games.
We could potentially be hosting the first round of the WIAC playoffs, but after all the hurrying to get through the conference play first, we have to wait to see what happens with Oshkosh and La Crosse.
The games and training for the next week and a half will be challenging as we attempt to hone the focus that has been so positive and keep progressing forward in everything we do. I am confident that the momentum that we have started is going to be hard to stop.
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Stout it out!
UW-Stout Soccer
Stout it out!
About This Blog
- Coach Frank
- Thanks for visiting the Stout Soccer coach's blog. We hope that this blog will give you an extra dimension to what Stout soccer is all about. You can read the stats and watch the games, but what is it that really makes up the character of the women who put on the Stout gear every fall? Hopefully this behind the scenes look will give you a different perspective about the team and some impression of what matters to me as a coach.