We
lost yesterday to Bowdoin in OT. Kudos
to Bowdoin, it has been a tough place for us to win in recent years. We were ready for them at the start of the
game and played well early, getting a 3-2 lead at the quarter and scoring first
in the 2nd Q to lengthen the lead to 4-2.
The two goals they did score were a precursor of things to come, as one
was on a man down in which we were complacent with our feet and the other was a
defenseman just getting beat top side on a dodge that was not that
aggressive. We had some good possessions
on offense early and were playing solid midfield d, so the game was going
well. Their 3rd goal was a bad luck goal
when a loose ball bounced in front of the crease and they picked it up and
scored. However, it is typical to feel
as if we give up some "bad luck" goals up there, but it is probable
that they just outhustled us and picked up the
scrappy, hustle points leading to those types of goals and extra
possessions. They were also able to pick
up a bunch of possessions by dominating the X.
As the 2nd Quarter progressed, they were to score 3 more goals which
would leave us frustrated as they were all preventable. One was on a dodge, just poor on-ball and
off-ball defense, but a nice dodge by a very good attackman as well. Two were off unsettled situations when we did
a poor job of finding open people and they had easy goals. They did a nice job on offense of getting
solid possessions. Their top attackman
can put pressure on the defense by getting a step and feeding well. They have good depth in the midfield with
players that can put pressure on the short sticks. And, they finished some big goals when they
needed them.
On
the offensive end we generated some pretty good opportunities, so we have
improved in the past couple of games.
However, it was not good enough in the end. In the last several minutes of the game we
had a number of opportunities to score and win the game but were unable to do
so. I had the feeling watching the
shooting down the stretch that we were a tight team hoping not to lose and they
were a loose team playing hard to win. I
counted around 9 quality scoring opportunities in the last couple minutes and
we did not score.
We
won they OT face off but lost possession when their face off man yelled to the
ref that he was being held, giving them what would be the only possession of
the game. They had a solid possession
going when their attackman drove the right handed wing, drawing our defeners ball side.
We were flat footed, nervously ball watching a dodger who was going
below the plane of the goal when he confidently zipped the ball cross cage to a
middie who confidently stuck a nice overhand shot to
win the game. Well-executed
by Bowdoin.
The
missed scoring opportunities were typical of the day. They came up big when they had to and we were
unable to do so. I was struck recently
by an article in SI about the UConn men's basketball
team. The article described a somber
mood in the locker room after a double figure win. They were playing uptight, afraid to lose,
not playing with enthusiasm and joy.
That's where we are right now. We need to tighten the screws on mental
errors, while loosening up the screws on enjoying the games.
Hopefully
a bunch of guys will get up to the Trinity game for Alumni Weekend to witness
the first step in that direction.