MONROE - As the Cheesemakers took the field against Stoughton on Tuesday afternoon, boys soccer head coach Tony Stamm noticed the team didn't show as much readiness as he would have hoped for.
"We had a cold start again," Stamm said after a 2-0 loss. "We're just not getting excited right at the beginning of the game. We let an easy one get through and we've been having a consistent problem with that - getting ready to play right away at full speed."
Stoughton's Jake Thiermann scored the only goal the Vikings would need just three minutes into the game. The rest of the first half went scoreless, though Monroe began to speed up the tempo. The Cheesemakers had multiple hard runs at the goal and the defensive pressure picked up.
Dan Becker, who has played well as goalkeeper all year, made multiple saves, including a jumping block and two diving stops in the first half.
"He's doing a very good job. I'm very pleased with his efforts back there," Stamm said of Becker.
In the second half, the Cheesemakers pressured Stoughton continuously, but the Vikings always regrouped well on defense and broke down the attack.
"I think we were better athletes than they were. We were winning the ball more than they were, but we weren't handling the ball and taking advantage of the opportunities that we wanted to," Stamm said.
Becker, waiting patiently in front of the net on a Stoughton breakaway at the 6:40 mark in the second half, dove to make a one-on-one save at the net. But Becker was unable to handle the block, and Jake Wenzel knocked in the rebound to put the Vikings up 2-0.
Monroe pressed harder on the offensive end, particularly junior forward Andrew Aurit.
"Andrew Aurit is really pressuring the defense the whole time. He was just really going today and it's nice to see that. He gave himself opportunities," Stamm said.
Monroe's inability to collapse and swarm to the net has led to minimal scoring this season. The Cheesemakers (3-10, 0-5 Badger South) have scored only 17 goals in their 13 games - eight coming in the season-opener against Wisconsin Dells. Monroe has only one goal in five conference games.
"We're having difficulties getting a score, which is something we're working on in practice. We had some opportunities today, now we just have to get it in the net," Stamm said.
The Cheesemakers next host area rival Sugar River (5-5, 3-1 Capitol) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
"We have a little grudge to settle with Sugar River. They are the ones who knocked us out of the postseason a year ago," Stamm said.
"We had a cold start again," Stamm said after a 2-0 loss. "We're just not getting excited right at the beginning of the game. We let an easy one get through and we've been having a consistent problem with that - getting ready to play right away at full speed."
Stoughton's Jake Thiermann scored the only goal the Vikings would need just three minutes into the game. The rest of the first half went scoreless, though Monroe began to speed up the tempo. The Cheesemakers had multiple hard runs at the goal and the defensive pressure picked up.
Dan Becker, who has played well as goalkeeper all year, made multiple saves, including a jumping block and two diving stops in the first half.
"He's doing a very good job. I'm very pleased with his efforts back there," Stamm said of Becker.
In the second half, the Cheesemakers pressured Stoughton continuously, but the Vikings always regrouped well on defense and broke down the attack.
"I think we were better athletes than they were. We were winning the ball more than they were, but we weren't handling the ball and taking advantage of the opportunities that we wanted to," Stamm said.
Becker, waiting patiently in front of the net on a Stoughton breakaway at the 6:40 mark in the second half, dove to make a one-on-one save at the net. But Becker was unable to handle the block, and Jake Wenzel knocked in the rebound to put the Vikings up 2-0.
Monroe pressed harder on the offensive end, particularly junior forward Andrew Aurit.
"Andrew Aurit is really pressuring the defense the whole time. He was just really going today and it's nice to see that. He gave himself opportunities," Stamm said.
Monroe's inability to collapse and swarm to the net has led to minimal scoring this season. The Cheesemakers (3-10, 0-5 Badger South) have scored only 17 goals in their 13 games - eight coming in the season-opener against Wisconsin Dells. Monroe has only one goal in five conference games.
"We're having difficulties getting a score, which is something we're working on in practice. We had some opportunities today, now we just have to get it in the net," Stamm said.
The Cheesemakers next host area rival Sugar River (5-5, 3-1 Capitol) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
"We have a little grudge to settle with Sugar River. They are the ones who knocked us out of the postseason a year ago," Stamm said.
