This weekend we headed to Kansas and Missouri for our first big road trip since school started. Things have definitely gotten busier since the beginning of classes. It’s been getting harder and harder to find quality time for napping. Our days are filled with early morning training, classes during the day, and homework afterwards. Traveling always adds a little bit more stress too. Not only do we have homework over the weekend, we have to catch up on the lectures and discussions we miss on the Thursday and Friday that we’re gone. Luckily the 10-hour bus ride to Kansas gave us plenty of time to catch up on some schoolwork and some napping. Of course, there was also a pretty intense game of Catch Phrase going on up at the front of the bus and some pretty lame scary stories being told at the back.
This was a big weekend for us as it was our last chance to prove ourselves against two big out-of-conference teams before our conference schedule begins. When we finally arrived in Kansas on Thursday night we were happy to be off the bus and into our beds in the hotel. Friday morning we went to walk the game field and then relaxed and got ourselves ready for the game against Kansas that night.
We didn’t come out as strong as we would have liked in the first half. We managed to generate a few chances but Kansas created some dangerous chances of their own. The second half was an entirely different story. Though Kansas still generated some dangerous opportunities, we managed to keep them out and controlled a majority of the play. We created a ton of chances but just couldn’t seem to find the back of the net so regular time ended in a 0-0 deadlock. Overtime didn’t last long with Apple scoring six minutes in. I played a through ball to her behind the Kansas defence and she absolutely blasted a shot into the top of the goal. 1-0 Milwaukee!
On Saturday we were back on the bus, travelling to Missouri. We had a training session and then headed to the hotel to relax, play cards, and get some extra studying in. Saturday it started raining and continued up until, and during, the beginning of the game. This made for some interesting field conditions. It was a bit more of a swamp than a soccer field! The field definitely affected the beginning of the game. The ball frequently stopped dead in puddles and it made connecting passes a bit of an issue. As the game went on, though, the field started to dry up and we started to get used to the circumstances.
Missouri scored first but three minutes later Kenzie tied it back up when she finished a bouncing ball off of a corner kick. When we came back out for the second half the field had dried up significantly from the beginning of the game and the quality of play improved. We took the lead in the 49th minute when Kenzie played a great ball over Missouri’s back line and Apple beat the Missouri goalie. Then we increased our lead in the 62nd minute. Sperl played another of her great free kicks to the back post and I slotted it in. It was a very physical game but, though Missouri did score a second goal, we held strong defensively at the end of the game to come away with our second win of the weekend.
Next week we’re back on the road for our first games in conference play. Youngstown on Friday and then Cleveland State on Sunday! Also, thanks to all the parents and alumni that have hosted us for meals and put together treat bags for our bus rides, so far this season. It’s something we definitely all look forward to. Thank you!
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