Sept. 24th- Another Big Ten Team Beat Down by the Panthers
We started of quickly against Northwestern. I played the ball into Kreuser, who made a run to the outside left, pulling their central defense apart. She laid it back to me, I laid it back to Kayla about 35 yards out on the left side, with their defensive still pulled apart, Kayla served the ball into the box. Talbert, with one of the sweetest flicks I have seen, sent it to Kenzie on the opposite side of the box (right side) who placed the ball far post past their keeper. 1-0. It was a great build up that I am sure I didn’t do justice to.
Our second goal was of a different nature… the crazy nature of Sarah Hagen, that is. Our team has struggled in the past with scoring, that hole has been filled and then some. She has scored 11 goals in 11 games. Sammy Vovos flicked the ball onto Hagen, who dribbled to the left corner of the 18 yard box, then with her left foot, her non-dominant foot, hit a shot line drive, far post and side netting, keeper diving but no chance. 2-0.
We went into half 2-0. We had contained their physical presence and contained any attack they tried to present us with. The second half we looked to do the same. However, they came out throwing numbers forward, both outside backs getting into the attack, and once again we contained them well. We organized through the middle well, covered and balanced every pressuring player. It wasn’t until late in the game, that our midfield got pulled too far to the left with no balance and couldn’t recover to clear a ball bouncing around the box, 2-1.
We walk away from this game, 3-0 against Big Ten Teams. Heading into conference, I don’t know what will be able to stop us.
Editor’s Note: Milwaukee is the only school in the nation with three wins against Big Ten school’s this season.
Side Note: I have been reading some other blogs to see how they are writing them and if there is something more I could bring to the table here. After reading a few I have come to this thought.
I enjoying writing this slightly-to-moderately biased blog (hence, the need for an editor) for Panther fan entertainment. I recognize the success and/or failure we may have accomplished and hope to show those who couldn’t make the games the outcome, unfortunately you have to bear with some cheesy Wisconsin humor. We are not your picture perfect team, we have flaws and funny quirks (Teegarden’s Gumby legs), often we say things without thinking (Drea and the ‘hot lava’), and our off-the-field decision-making lacks sometimes (hair dying incident), but we are your Milwaukee Panthers and have found success against those “perfect” teams and it is those flaws, quirks, mindless talking and acting intertwined with our success that hopefully brings you entertainment for the couple of minutes you take out of your day to read this.
Sept. 26th- League Opener a.k.a. State-Winner
This would be our third-straight year of winning the state of Wisconsin: Beat Madison. Beat Marquette. Beat Green-Bay. We had our league opener Friday, at Englemann, under the lights.
Leading into this game, we were told that Green-Bay’s coach said they wanted to be a hard team to score on. Well, pulling a fifth defender into your backline will probably help you accomplish being hard to score on, then four midfields in front of their five backs, and one lone forward up top.
On top of having nine players behind the ball to defend (and then the keeper), they held their defensive pressure line about fifteen yards into their half, I don’t know if this was intentional, but our outside backs could attack into their half about 15 yards before anyone would come to pressure, though at this point then they have all nine of their players defending in a space only about 45 yards deep, throw our six or seven attackers into that space too and it gets a little congested.
A little congestion has never stopped us. We found moments of combination between the forwards and midfield that led to some good chances. One combination leading to my favorite chance of the half, Canada (Keara Thompson) hit a great left-footed shot from the top of the 18 box that hit the inside left post (left as facing the goal) and we narrowly missed getting to the rebound. (Side note: for all you Canadians, we have added a nice addition to our flag pole)
With their contentedness to just sit in and defend, hoping to get a clear over our backline so their lone forward can run like a freight train. For those at the game I am sure would agree with that description, their forward was big, physical and had a non-stop motor. This tactic lead to one chance within the total 90 minutes of the game and that was in the first half. They were able to play a ball over our back line into our defending left corner. At this point, their charging forward was in a foot race with Kane to see who could get to the ball (or what soon became a collision for the ball) first. Both Kane and their player sliding to the ball, their player got their first, sending the ball across the box to another GB player who five feet out from the goal, undefended, kicked it wide. However, in every collision or action, there is an equal or opposite reaction, and the reaction occurred as a tremendous force, in the form of cleats, upon Erin Kane’s shin. She would be out for the rest of the game, and Leslie Deebach covered the responsibility of the goalie throughout the rest of the game easily.
So we headed into half scoreless, but like I have said numerous times, we execute our halftime adaptations to the game. Three minutes into the half, yes we adapt quickly, we were up. After a miscleared ball by their five-(wo)man back line, Beth Steuer hit a shot, blocked, got her own rebound, and hit a skipping ball past all five defenders and under their diving keeper, 1-0.
The second goal came about 10 minutes later, another great build up that I will attempt to explain. Kayla played a long ball up the left line into Kreuser (receiving it around the midline), laid it back to me, I played a through ball to Talbert, who attacked towards the corner of the 18 box, played into Hagen at the top of the 18 box, who played a leading ball on the ground behind their defense, into Louise Vraney as she slashed across the box, she hit it one-time left corner, keeper no chance, 2-0. Thanks for coming.
Last thought: You know, there are a lot of things going on in the world, but every game is a nice 90 minutes away whether you’re playing, watching, or even cheering against us. Every game is exciting and fun for us as players, hopefully it brings as much enjoyment for everyone else. Maybe next year, those great goals we scored this year don’t mean as much, and the year after possibly forgotten, but right now in this moment they keep us awake at night hoping to get another in the next game. Maybe they keep some of you awake too. The idea of being recognized, respected and nationally ranked is the first thing we think about Tuesday morning when they are posted. Yeah, they are just rankings, and yeah soccer is just a game, but as players it’s what consumes our time, our days, our lives and we get to show you the work and energy we spend in those 90 minutes, those 90 minutes away from everything else.
