Up and Down Season Continues

On Saturday the boys faced undefeated and nationally ranked (#17) Salisbury University.  We knew it would take our best effort on the season to compete with talented Sea Gulls.  We followed through on our game plan by playing extremely hard, staying very organized in the back, and looking for the right moments to coutner attack.  We would take Salisbury to overtime, but would fall 1-0 in the first overtime period.  The "Heart" was there all game, but it looked like they had a little more left in the legs at the end of the match.

We were pleased with the positives from the game, but realizing a loss is still a loss, we were hoping to come out against Lycoming and finally put a total soccer game together.

On the road in Williamsport, PA to face Lycoming College on Tuesday we came out strong and had several chances in the opening minutes and continued to pressure until sophomore Shawn Baker put us ahead 1-0 midway through the first half.  Lycoming would start the 2nd half with a much more aggressive attitude and were rewarded when the FSU goalkeeper misplayed a long shot on the ground and it bounced off his hands and into the back of the net to tie the game at one all.  The game settled down about 10 minutes after the goal was scored and was much more of an even match.  We would miss an open breakaway late in the game and would regret it as Lycoming would capitalize on a poor defensive clearance that would send a Lycoming player in on 1v1 to win the game with less than 5 minutes to go in the game. 

The let down following the Salisbury game is very dissappointing, so now we are re-focusing on our work ethic and taking care of  the ball in our defensive third.

This Saturday will be another challenging road test as we travel to face defending CAC Champion York College at 2pm..

Conference Play Begins

Sophomore Jason King

Capital Athletic Conference play began last Wednesday against Marymount. We started off the game a little flat and gave up another goal on a set piece midway through the first half. We responded well in the beginning of second half when Shawn Baker tallied his second goal of the season to tie the game and we began to find our comfort zone. Unfortunately a red card was issued to Raul Diaz in the 70th minute and we were forced to change tactics. The boys worked extremely hard and made up for the dismissed player as we played 40 minutes with 10 men and hung on for the double overtime draw.

Saturday saw the team travel to Washington and Jefferson. W&J controlled play for the beginning portion of the half, but after a formation change we settled in and created a few scoring chances of our own. The second half was more of the same until a miss-kick on a clearance was deflected and bounced around the box when a W&J player jumped on it and put it away from about 10 yds. out. This would make the third 1-0 loss of the season.

Tuesday night we were back at home under the lights against CAC opponent Hood College. We started strong and created numerous opportunities. Jason King, who made his season debut against Marymount and has been limited in minutes due to injuries, scored his first goal of the season to give us the early 1-0 lead. Hood would equalize off a knock down on a free kick and the game would go to half all even. After a good half time talk the boys came out poised to put the game away. Dillon Muise notched is team leading third goal of the season and Greg Hill and Micah Bunting would record their first collegiate goals as Frostburg would go on to win 4-1.

Sophomore Shawn Baker

The win puts us at 1-0-1 in CAC play with the much anticipated Salisbury match coming up at home on Saturday at 2pm.

Positive Results Over the Weekend

After struggling to find the back of the net the first three games it was nice to get on the scoreboard and come away with two wins over the weekend.

Sophomore Dillon Muise's first two goals of the season came Friday night as he helped down Shenandoah University 2-0 at Bobcat Stadium. It wasn't our best soccer, but we were finally efficient in front of the goal and made the most of our opportunities. Again there were glimpses of some really good soccer, but we didn't do it consistently for 90 minutes.

We knew turning around and having to travel to Waynesburg on Saturday after the late 7:00 PM kick-off on Friday would present a bit of challenge for the boys, but once again they young guys responded when called upon. The injury bug is still a major concern as now starting and all-conference center back Jamie Flewellyn was unable to go due to an injury. The backline that started against Waynesburg was a totally new back four from the group that started the season.

We were able to control most of the game in the mid-field and put away two decent goals by Sophomore Shawn Baker and Freshman Michael Norman, but we probably should have had a third and put the game away. Instead Waynesburg was able to close the deficit to 2-1 with about 10 minutes to go and it became much more of a hectic final few minutes than it ever should have been.

Sophomores Dillon Muise and Shawn Baker

Capital Athletic Conference play begins at home on Wednesday against Marymount at 5:00 PM. This is an important game for us as we need to get off to a positive start in the conference and pick up some points before we begin play against some of the favorites.

Missed Opportunities Become Costly

Sophomore forward Dillon Muise

The Frostburg State Bobcats were punished for missed opportunities again this past weekend in the FSU Tournament.  We played Wilmington (OH) on Friday and saw an early chance against the Quakers come up empty.  We were able to get in behind Wilmington's back line in the opening minutes and had Shawn Baker one "v" one with the Quaker keeper, but Baker was taken down from behind by a Wilmington defender. The official, recognizing the foul, called the infringement, but neglected to expel the defender.  The ensuing free kick was saved and the half would end scoreless.

In the second half the Quakers took advantage of a well constructed free kick and went up one nil.  Much of the second half was played in the midfield, but the Quakers did have the better of the opportunities and put another goal away in the 89th minute as Frostburg pushed more players into the attack looking for the tying goal.

The consolation game would be against Eastern Mennonite University on Saturday afternoon.  Again, the offense did well to get in behind the back line, but squandered numerous chances in front of goal.  The Royals scored in the second half on a play that didn't start as much.  A floated cross into the box was flicked on by an EMU player beating senior keeper Stephen Cavallo to the ball and was the only goal in the game. 

Fatigue was surely an issue for us having played 3 games in 4 days.  Our fitness level is not wear it needs to be and the injuries are starting to mount.  Already down 3 starters from the Bethany match on Wednesday, starting left back Sergio Vargas picked up a knock and was unable to play on Saturday.  Many inexperienced players are seeing minutes on the pitch and have put forth a good effort.  Freshman, Jason Bennett has played solid on defense since replacing the injured Anthony Tossounian, and transfers Chris Coello and Greg Hill have contributed solid minutes to the Bobcat attack.  Although we haven't earned a "W" yet, the season is early and we have a lot of positives looking forward.  We are hoping to play  better this weekend and are hopeful that we can start to get healthy and fit for our conference opener next Wednesday against Marymount.

Bobcats Downed In Season Opener

The first game of the season for the Bobcats left a sour taste in the players' mouths.  Although playing well for almost 90 minutes of the encounter, we managed to lose the fixture.  The hot conditions of the late afternoon at Bison Stadium forced both sides to run players in and out of the lineup, and as the game wore on, it looked as if Frostburg was the deeper of the two teams.  It was a late free-kick, just outside the area, that did us in.  A driven shot which beat senior keeper Stephen Cavallo in the 88th minute was the only goal of the match.  However, we can take many positives from Bethany game to build on.  We lost two starters in the back line to injuries in the first half and the guys that stepped in played extremely well.  I thought the work rate and effort were there and that is something we can build on.

It was a fairly even game, but we did have our opportunities to score and put the game away before the Bison did.  Two posts, and two absolute sitters in front of goal were the main reason for loss which left the lads thinking "what could have been".  They must lift their heads, and take the positives to their home opener in the first game of the FSU tournament against Wilmington (tomorrow night under the lights 7:30 PM).  If we can clean up a few technical things and can put the same effort and work rate in I know we can get back on the winning side.