Parker O'Leary | Echo
The men's soccer team dropped a disappointing 1-0 loss at conference rival Spring Arbor on Tuesday night.
"Our guys have a resiliency to them that is impressive," said head coach Gary Ross. "They have still remained positive despite the adversity and I anticipate they will still do so. We will continue to fight."
In the first half, the Trojans dominated play which resulted in multiple opportunities on the Spring Arbor frame. Their best chance came around the 25-minute mark. Senior Kevin Miller got free on a corner kick and ripped a shot that went past the Cougar keeper and into the goal. However, Miller was called offside and the goal was waved off.
Despite controlling possession for the majority of the first half, the Trojans slipped up just before the break as they gave up a costly goal just before halftime. In a play that originated from a throw-in, Anthony Juncaj was able to slide through the Trojan defense and put the ball past sophomore goalkeeper Jesse Carmody in the 40th minute.
In the second half, the Trojans continued their dominance but were unable to capitalize. Led by junior captain Devin Moore with six, the Trojans outshot the Cougars by a lopsided 16-2 ratio.
Despite outplaying their opponents, the Trojans were unable to put a tally in the win column.
Unfortunately, this has been a recurring fact for the Trojans this season. In three of their four conference games, the Trojans have had as many or more shots than their opponent. While this can be discouraging, the Trojans are looking at the positives of the situation.
"Spring Arbor is the defending tournament champs, we played them on their field and completely outclassed them in every aspect of the game except the score line. So, I think there are positives that can be taken away from a tough situation like that," Miller said.
An interesting twist to the game was the coach on the opposing sideline. Nate Miller, currently in his first year as head coach for the Cougars, was an assistant coach for the Trojans the past three seasons. This was a different experience for the Trojans because many of them had grown close with Nate over the years.
"When Nate was here, he was a friend, a mentor, and a coach to a lot of guys on the team," Kevin Miller said. "It was definitely emotional preparing for the game; it was a little bit different. But at the end of the day, we were just hoping to get three points, and it didn't matter who we were playing."
The Trojans' next game is at Saint Francis tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Photography by Timothy P. Riethmiller
