Men Go 1-2
Brad Wilk
Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Sports
After getting shut out in their first two games, the Lakeland men's soccer team turned into a scoring machine grabbing their first couple wins of the season.
The Muskies won their first game with a 5-0 shutout at Concordia Chicago in River Forest, Ill. After suffering a pair of losses, Lakeland came back with a 4-3 win over Ripon.
"I think the guys have been building with confidence," said Lakeland men's soccer coach Dave Madsen. "The first few games were frustrating not getting a chance to score."
Lakeland lost to Concordia Chicago each of the last two seasons, so Madsen said that they were determined to win that game.
"The guys were pretty focused to take care of business," Madsen said. "The past two years we played them it was a team we felt we should have been beating, but we've had trouble with them.
"Once we were able to get the first goal, it eased the tension a little bit. Once we got that first goal, the rest came right after that. It was just a matter of getting that first one and getting that monkey off our back. We've got the players to attack and score a lot of goals."
Lakeland suffered a tough 6-5 overtime loss at Beloit, but the team's one-goal win over Ripon told Madsen that the Muskies can win the close games.
"I think it was just our focus," Madsen said. "Against Beloit, we had a slow start and slow finish and in between we kind of picked things up. Against Ripon, our guys knew there was potential especially we when got back to 4-3. I felt we were going to need a fifth goal, and I think if we would have sat on the lead and not tried to score it would have come back to haunt us."
Lakeland dominated in shots in the second half, 19-3.
"When we were all over Ripon, they didn't really respond well," Madsen said. "Even though we didn't get the fifth goal, it seemed to me Ripon didn't feel anything was working for them the second half. I think we were able to keep them mentally occupied that second half."
Senior midfielder Kevin Fitchett (Green Bay, Wis.) had a goal and an assist in the win over Ripon. Madsen said Fitchett and freshman Danny Spatchek (Chilton, Wis.) have been doing a good job in the midfield.
The Muskies won their first game with a 5-0 shutout at Concordia Chicago in River Forest, Ill. After suffering a pair of losses, Lakeland came back with a 4-3 win over Ripon.
"I think the guys have been building with confidence," said Lakeland men's soccer coach Dave Madsen. "The first few games were frustrating not getting a chance to score."
Lakeland lost to Concordia Chicago each of the last two seasons, so Madsen said that they were determined to win that game.
"The guys were pretty focused to take care of business," Madsen said. "The past two years we played them it was a team we felt we should have been beating, but we've had trouble with them.
"Once we were able to get the first goal, it eased the tension a little bit. Once we got that first goal, the rest came right after that. It was just a matter of getting that first one and getting that monkey off our back. We've got the players to attack and score a lot of goals."
Lakeland suffered a tough 6-5 overtime loss at Beloit, but the team's one-goal win over Ripon told Madsen that the Muskies can win the close games.
"I think it was just our focus," Madsen said. "Against Beloit, we had a slow start and slow finish and in between we kind of picked things up. Against Ripon, our guys knew there was potential especially we when got back to 4-3. I felt we were going to need a fifth goal, and I think if we would have sat on the lead and not tried to score it would have come back to haunt us."
Lakeland dominated in shots in the second half, 19-3.
"When we were all over Ripon, they didn't really respond well," Madsen said. "Even though we didn't get the fifth goal, it seemed to me Ripon didn't feel anything was working for them the second half. I think we were able to keep them mentally occupied that second half."
Senior midfielder Kevin Fitchett (Green Bay, Wis.) had a goal and an assist in the win over Ripon. Madsen said Fitchett and freshman Danny Spatchek (Chilton, Wis.) have been doing a good job in the midfield.
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