Women's soccer team falls to Trine
The Franklin Grizzlies fought hard, but ended up losing 2-0 Tuesday against the Trine University Thunder.
Trine University, formerly Tri-State University, has begun a new trend for its soccer program: winning. The Thunder had been winless in the past three years and has three victories this year to start the season.
“Their first-year coach, Ian Poole, has done a great job turning around the program for Trine,” coach Scott Moulton. “The tone for the game will be set with who will get the early advantage and get their confidence first.”
The Grizzlies were down to one substitution for the game, with freshman Destiny Esper and senior Jessica McElvoy, both forwards, nursing ankle injuries. Sophomore defender Syd Surface has also been fighting a viral infection for the past week.
“We had a light practice Monday and the women have an upbeat mentality for the match against the Thunder,” Moulton said. “We will need to work on keeping up the intensity and communication throughout the game.”
“This is not the Franklin team of the past,” Anderson head coach Scott Fridley said after Saturday’s game.
“The ladies happen to have the right frame of mind today,” Moulton said. “We moved junior Rachel Whipker from a midfielder to the back. She knows the game and knows the position.”
“We also want to work on maintaining possession and connecting passes to our feet,” Moulton said. “We want to eliminate as many 50/50 balls as we possibly can.”
“We are organizationally good enough, but we just need to put the ball in the back of the net,” first-year assistant Justin Sullivan said.
The game began with a quick pace and presented many fast breaks for both teams, but neither could capitalize on them.
The first goal came in the 40th minute with a shot from freshman Rachelle Newberry that sailed over the head of Sophomore Chelsea Parks.
“We are doing well offensively and the goal for Trine was just a lucky goal,” Sullivan said. “I think we can win this.”
The first half ended with a shot count of four to two in favor of the Thunder from Angola, Ind. Parks made three saves in the half.
The second half began the same way the first half did, until the 71st minute when Newberry netted another goal for the Thunder.
The Grizzlies have stuggled with goal scoring this month. Franklin has allowed 23 goals during the month of September, and also have not scored a single goal during the same span.
Both goalkeepers faced a total of five shots in the second half. Three of the seven Grizzlies came from the foot of freshman midfielder Sarah Hume. The Thunder had a combination with the nine shots coming from Newberry or sophomore Jessica Walker, with four respectively.
The Grizzlies (1-7, 0-1 HCAC) will be back in action Sunday against Benedictine University (1-5) at 11 a.m.
