By Matt Cain
Contributor
The men’s soccer team lost a hard-fought game against the defending national champions, the Franklin Pierce University Ravens. The final score was 1-0, as the Owls were held to no goals throughout the game.
In the first half, the Owls were off their game, forcing them to play with a different game plan.
The Owls had seven fouls, resulting in the Ravens taking possession of the ball more and slowing down the game’s tempo.
“The first half was tough. Knowing how they play and adjusting to it was a challenge for us,” forward Zico Groenveld, a junior, said.
The Ravens’ offense would be too much for the Owls, as they took 16 shots and scored a goal 25 minutes into the game. The Owls only had five shots throughout the entire game.
“We had a game plan coming in. After they scored, we went down and started to lose it,” forward Jalen Jean, a senior, said. “Second half, we just went for it and finally started to play our game.”
The Owls showed flashes of defense in the game. Goalkeeper Devin Juan, a senior, had six saves, keeping the Owls in the game. As the Owls stayed within striking distance of the Ravens, they would come up short on multiple late-game opportunities.
The Ravens controlled the game and the stat sheet, as they beat the Owls in all major categories.
Coming into this game, Franklin Pierce had a 5-1 record, which has now improved to 6-1 with the win today, showing that they are still a dominant force in the conference and nation.
The Owls fought just like they have been this whole season. Being that they have high hopes for the rest of the season, losing by one goal to one of the best teams is a step in the right direction.
“We will come into the next games with a better mindset and more energy out the gate,” forward Jayson Dumont, a freshman, said.
Throughout the season, the Owls showed they wanted to be considered the best in the conference. The leadership and depth of this team is how they can achieve that.
Head Coach Kevin Anderson put out a different 11 guys this game than usual. Two freshmen and a sophomore got the start in the game, showing the deep rotation and bench that the Owls have.
With a lineup usually consisting of seniors and juniors, the younger guys getting the start and more playing time shows that everybody on this team can do their job effectively and efficiently.