We are starting to figure out who we are now that MIAC play has kicked off. We opened on the road at Concordia which was an especially bruising battle. They are a much improved team from last year—especially in their midfield. I suspect that beating them 1-0 on their pitch will look like a better and better result as their body of work grows. Though we didn’t play a perfect match, we scored early and held on tight for an important opening 3 points.
On Saturday we hosted Hamline. Our last few matches with them have been incredibly frustrating in both performance and result. They are an organized and disciplined side that rarely beats themselves. Though the tally on shots was a better representation of the game, the scoreboard read 7-2 when the final whistle blew. We were able to get valuable minutes for all of the field players that were dressed which always makes for a great game day. Last year we gathered 3 points from our matches with Concordia and Hamline. . .taking a full 6 is a big step back to the post season after our one season hiatus.
UW Whitewater is usually a strong side but I didn’t expect that they would arrive in Collegeville on Sunday with a record of 9-0-1. Though the boys weren’t lit on fire with motivation after taking care of more vital MIAC business, they showed a level of determination that I was excited to see. Honestly, they showed me that they have the makings to be a very strong regional side this fall. We outplayed UW Whitewater and I felt as the clock was ticking down that we were going to find a way to pull it out. Unfortunately, we dropped the match in the 81st minute because we lost focus on one mark during a set piece. This is a great reminder that we need to play ALL of the minutes if we want to transition from good to great.
We host a fantastic Macalester side this weekend in Collegeville and then we will be traveling to Saint Thomas next Tuesday. Both of these matches will be opportunities to test ourselves which is something the boys are learning to relish.
Our FAMILY vs. their team,
John
