MONROE - The Crusaders won 4-2 in a tight battle over the Cheesemakers Tuesday night at T.R. Holyoke Field.
Monroe junior goalkeeper Deven Schulte made a diving tackle on Madison Edgewood junior Sam Salzwedel inside the 18-yard box early in the second half, and it appeared like the Cheesemakers had dodged a bullet. Instead, the official called Schulte for a foul - ruling he didn't touch the ball on the sliding tackle that tripped up Salzwedel about 12-yards from the goal. The Crusaders were awarded a penalty kick and Schulte received a red card and was ejected.
Edgewood senior midfielder Connor Cruz, who scored all four goals, drained the penalty kick past the new Monroe goalie, junior Daniel Lapp. With the loss, Monroe drops to 4-6 overall, and 1-2 in the Badger South.
"There were some tough game-changing calls," Monroe coach Tony Vasquez said. "To go down a man and give up two penalty kicks is a lot to overcome. We are pretty even teams. We have a very small margin for error."
Madison Edgewood (5-4-1, 1-0-1 Badger South), ranked ninth in the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Division 2 state poll, took advantage of a couple of bad bounces that went against the Cheesemakers.
Vasquez said he questioned the referee after the game about the decision to give Schulte a red card. Schulte will also be suspended from the Cheesemakers' next game on Monday.
"It was a foul," Vasquez said. "We have had that same play happen in two other games this year and it's always been a yellow card and not a red. He says the right call is a red card."
Vasquez liked the aggressive play of Schulte in coming out away from the net.
"It's risky whenever you slide," Vasquez said. "I just want to talk to him so when he slides he comes in front of him and gets his foot or finger on the ball. There's always a risk."
Monroe junior Nick Schumacher scored one goal and knew the scoreboard didn't reflect the two bad bounces that went against the Cheesemakers. In addition to the foul and ejection of Schulte, the Cheesemakers were called for a hand ball in the box and Cruz scored his fourth goal on another penalty kick at 77 minutes, 23 seconds.
"We should have tied them," Schumacher said. "Playing one of the best teams in the state - one-man down - we stuck right with them."
Early on, the game had the makings of one that could go down to the wire. Cruz scored his first goal on a header at 17:13. Schumacher had a couple of golden opportunities in the moments that followed. He just missed a shot at the near post. In the 28th minute, Schumacher had a shot at the near post that Edgewood junior goalie Josh DeGuire made a diving stop on.
Monroe sophomore Alex Barrada's scored a game-tying goal on a direct kick he lofted over the Crusaders' wall and DeGuire into the back of the net to tie the game at 1 at 29:58. It stayed that way until the game got a little chippy in the second half.
One fan was ejected and Monroe assistant Curt Zastrow received a yellow card. After Cruz's second goal on a penalty kick after Schulte was ejected, the Cheesemakers didn't go away.
Schumacher booted a game-tying goal from 30-yards out to tie the game at 2 less than one minute after the Crusaders had taken the lead.
"It felt great (scoring a goal) because it came after a bad call," Schumacher said of Schulte being ejected.
The Crusaders took the lead for good on Cruz's go-ahead goal at 59:29 that came off a cross from Andy O'Connor and a pass by Nathan Golden.
"I feel like if we can stick with them we can stick with any team in our conference," Schumacher said. "There are a lot of things we can take from this. We played with a man down and it's just hard."
Monroe junior goalkeeper Deven Schulte made a diving tackle on Madison Edgewood junior Sam Salzwedel inside the 18-yard box early in the second half, and it appeared like the Cheesemakers had dodged a bullet. Instead, the official called Schulte for a foul - ruling he didn't touch the ball on the sliding tackle that tripped up Salzwedel about 12-yards from the goal. The Crusaders were awarded a penalty kick and Schulte received a red card and was ejected.
Edgewood senior midfielder Connor Cruz, who scored all four goals, drained the penalty kick past the new Monroe goalie, junior Daniel Lapp. With the loss, Monroe drops to 4-6 overall, and 1-2 in the Badger South.
"There were some tough game-changing calls," Monroe coach Tony Vasquez said. "To go down a man and give up two penalty kicks is a lot to overcome. We are pretty even teams. We have a very small margin for error."
Madison Edgewood (5-4-1, 1-0-1 Badger South), ranked ninth in the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Division 2 state poll, took advantage of a couple of bad bounces that went against the Cheesemakers.
Vasquez said he questioned the referee after the game about the decision to give Schulte a red card. Schulte will also be suspended from the Cheesemakers' next game on Monday.
"It was a foul," Vasquez said. "We have had that same play happen in two other games this year and it's always been a yellow card and not a red. He says the right call is a red card."
Vasquez liked the aggressive play of Schulte in coming out away from the net.
"It's risky whenever you slide," Vasquez said. "I just want to talk to him so when he slides he comes in front of him and gets his foot or finger on the ball. There's always a risk."
Monroe junior Nick Schumacher scored one goal and knew the scoreboard didn't reflect the two bad bounces that went against the Cheesemakers. In addition to the foul and ejection of Schulte, the Cheesemakers were called for a hand ball in the box and Cruz scored his fourth goal on another penalty kick at 77 minutes, 23 seconds.
"We should have tied them," Schumacher said. "Playing one of the best teams in the state - one-man down - we stuck right with them."
Early on, the game had the makings of one that could go down to the wire. Cruz scored his first goal on a header at 17:13. Schumacher had a couple of golden opportunities in the moments that followed. He just missed a shot at the near post. In the 28th minute, Schumacher had a shot at the near post that Edgewood junior goalie Josh DeGuire made a diving stop on.
Monroe sophomore Alex Barrada's scored a game-tying goal on a direct kick he lofted over the Crusaders' wall and DeGuire into the back of the net to tie the game at 1 at 29:58. It stayed that way until the game got a little chippy in the second half.
One fan was ejected and Monroe assistant Curt Zastrow received a yellow card. After Cruz's second goal on a penalty kick after Schulte was ejected, the Cheesemakers didn't go away.
Schumacher booted a game-tying goal from 30-yards out to tie the game at 2 less than one minute after the Crusaders had taken the lead.
"It felt great (scoring a goal) because it came after a bad call," Schumacher said of Schulte being ejected.
The Crusaders took the lead for good on Cruz's go-ahead goal at 59:29 that came off a cross from Andy O'Connor and a pass by Nathan Golden.
"I feel like if we can stick with them we can stick with any team in our conference," Schumacher said. "There are a lot of things we can take from this. We played with a man down and it's just hard."
