VU Soccer Drops Decision at Milwaukee Sunday
Taking on a Milwaukee side that is a perennial NCAA Tournament qualifier Sunday afternoon, the Valpo soccer team was within striking distance of the Panthers before a late second-half goal gave Milwaukee a 2-0 victory.
How It Happened
– The Panthers got on the board thanks to a header in the 29th minute from Ashlyn Skinner-Barrett.
– Valpo finished the opening half with a 7-6 shot advantage over the Panthers, but the match went into halftime with Milwaukee leading 1-0.
– Salange Bell (Montclair, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy [Montclair State]) made four second-half saves to keep the deficit at one goal before Emily Petring found the back of the net in the 88th minute for the final margin.
Inside the Match
– Sunday’s match played out much like last Sunday’s matchup against another strong mid-major in Western Michigan, in that the Beacons conceded midway through the first half, kept the deficit at one goal for most of the game before giving up a second while pushing for an equalizer late.
– Milwaukee ended the match with a 19-9 advantage in shots, putting nine on frame to the Beacons’ five.
– Bell ended the match with a season-high seven saves.
Thoughts From Coach Marovich
“This group really continues to show their level, as we’ve played teams recently that have won the Horizon and have won the MAC several times over the last few years, and we’re right there. We have pushed those teams.”
“We competed extremely well today, but unfortunately, the first goal really put us behind the eight ball after a really good stretch of the first 30 minutes of the match.”
“Even after that, we responded really well and finished out the half but when you chase the game, it can be difficult and can wear on you a little bit. In the second half, we were able to get to certain points in our progression and we started to maybe make some rushed decisions and were trying to do things a little bit too quickly to try to get a goal back.”
“At the end of the day, we competed for the full 90 minutes and we go for it and that’s what this group has been about. What I love about this group is we just keep getting back after it and going after it, and I’m looking forward to them continuing to grow so that we can get these results.”
Next Up
Valpo (2-4-1) returns home for its next four matches, starting Thursday evening with its third straight fixture against a Horizon League opponent as Oakland visits Brown Field at 7 p.m.