1st |
2nd |
Final |
|
| Hesston | 0 |
4 |
4 |
| Tri-State | 0 |
1 |
1 |
1st half: no goals
2nd half: 1 HC Eric Bixler (unassisted) 54:12; 1 TSU Ponce (unassisted); 2 HC Alan Peachey (Eric Bixler) 80:27; 3 HC Felipe Tafur (Alan Peachey) 83:02; 4 Felipe Tafur (Philip Kauffman)
Shots: HC 16 (10 SOG); TCU 9 (4 SOG)
Saves: HC 3 (James Ward); TCU 2 (Brown), 3 (Schalinske)
Yellow Cards: HC James Ward; TCK Klepfer
Red Cards: none
Coach's Summary:
The Hesston soccer team's travel across Indiana to play Tri-State
University would be the second of two games scheduled for their fall
break trip to the Hoosier State and their final game of the regular
season. The Larks were looking to rebound from their disappointing loss
to Goshen College just two days earlier.
"The Goshen loss was really a downer
for the guys. Mostly just because we had the game won with 30 seconds
left and then somehow Goshen pulled out a 2-1 win just a minute and
a half later. We all really wanted that win. But we just had to try
to put it in the past and come out strong against Tri-State."
The Larks did come out strong from the
opening whistle. Hesston controlled the ball well and had several good
opportunities in the final third but came up empty time after time.
Tri-State gave the Larks an early scare when a cross from the right
side of the pitch ricocheted off the far post and out. The Larks, however,
regrouped and went right back on the attack. But in spite of their solid
play the half ended scoreless. "I thought we clearly had the better
play in the first half but we were just one good pass or one good touch
from getting great chances on goal."
Hesston came out with a fury and dominated
the second half even more than the first. Nine minutes into the second
half the strong play would finally pay off for the Larks. Ryan Wingard
crossed the ball from the left side into the box. Tri-State failed to
clear the ball and Eric Bixler pounced on the opportunity by slotting
the ball into the back of the net. "We really were playing
well in the second half. It seemed to me just a matter of time before
we would score a goal."
Hesston continued to press for another
goal but it would be Tri-State to get on the board next. Ponce shot
the ball from the right corner of the box. Goalkeeper James Ward got
most of the ball but not all of it. The deflected ball rolled slowly
toward the goal line, but Ward was unable to keep it from crossing.
"It looked questionable whether it crossed
the line or not. I do not think the ref had the best angle to call that
a goal but he called it anyway. We obviously were not happy with the
call, but what can you do? You have to just play. The best thing for
us to do is to not put the referee in a position to make those types
of calls. We got caught shorthanded in the back and allowed the shot.
The way we play we should never get caught with numbers down in the
back."
It looked as if the Larks were going
to let another win slip away now with the score 1-1 and just over ten
minutes remaining in the game. But this time luck would be on their
side. What looked to be a cross from Alan Peachey found the far upper
ninety instead. "I think Alan would admit that he was trying to
cross the ball but every team needs a good break now and then. We have
not had many lately so it was nice to get one today, and it was especially
nice that it came at such a key time in the game."
The Larks good fortune seemed to be just
the spark they needed to open up the game. Three minutes after taking
the lead Peachey would set up the next goal. Peachey's cross from the
left side this time was finished off by Felipe Tafur. Just 35 seconds
later Tafur would add another goal to make the final tally 4-1 as he
slotted the ball nicely past a sprawling keeper from the right side
of the box.
"It was really good to see Felipe get
two goals. He has really been struggling lately. So it was great to
get him out of that slump. Hopefully this game will give him confidence
again. Overall I was really pleased with the team's performance. The
second half I thought we played especially well. Getting four goals
in one half is always fantastic but beyond that we really passed the
ball well and played strong all the way around. I thought that Brandon
Davis played extremely well. Brandon does not have a lot of goals or
assists to his credit but he does so many other things for our team
that are important. He and Eric Bixler are guys that set up so many
of the goals for our team but you do not always see their names on the
stat sheet. Every team needs a few unsung heroes. Brandon and Eric are
two of them for us.
"I have also been impressed all year with the play
of Steve Eriksen, Aaron Martin, and Greg Hostetler. They really do not
get enough credit for their strong play in the back. We are not the
same team without them. Along with James Ward in goal they are our backbone.
When those guys play strong we are extremely difficult to score on."
The Larks end the regular season with
a record of 8-7-1. The post season begins next week with a game on Monday
or Tuesday at either Kansas City Community College or Johnson County
Community College. Time and exact date have yet to be determined.
"People keep asking me who we would rather
play--Johnson or KCKCC. It is really a toss up. Both are really strong
teams. We did beat Johnson but that was at our place. I am sure they
would be pretty fired up to play us again. But really we will just take
what we get. Either way we will have our hands full. It does not help
our cause to have Brett Brand and Jared Widmer injured right now. There
is a chance we will get one or both of them back for the post season
but we will just have to wait and see. Brett and Jared are key players
for us up front. We definitely need both of them."