MONROE - Junior forward Maddie Kallgren could only watch from the bench as Monroe midfielder Shannon Robotski came inches away from scoring a game-winning goal against Lodi in a non-conference game Friday at a blustery Honey Creek Park.
Robotski's shot in the 87th minute ricocheted off the top cross bar and the Cheesemakers tied Lodi 1-1. Monroe lost to Lodi in double overtime last year 3-2; with the switch to 45-minute halves this season, there was no overtime. Kallgren, a first-team all-conference forward, was forced to watch the final 8 minutes from the bench after she battled cramps in her calves.
"You just have to have faith and trust in your teammates," said Kallgren, who had one goal. "I knew all of them would work hard. I knew we weren't going to give anything up. We have a pretty young team. It's a good game to show that we can keep up with them even though we graduated some seniors."
Both Kallgren and Monroe freshman Olivia Werth battled leg cramps. But Kallgren is confident she will be ready for the Cheesemakers' game at Janesville Parker today.
"I will be better for the next game," Kallgren said. "I will just load up on water."
The Blue Devils out-shot the Cheesemakers 27-23. Kallgren scored a goal at 19 minutes, 3 seconds by spinning and breaking away from several Blue Devils defenders and then punching in a goal to the far post to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead. The Cheesemakers had several other golden scoring opportunities in the first half going with the wind, but came up empty.
"I think that was really nice momentum to step up their game," Monroe coach Miriam O'Neill said of Kallgren's goal. "There were a lot of good opportunities. The wind certainly played a large factor. It's hard to be accurate on the net with the wind taking the ball."
Monroe senior goalkeeper Gwendolyn Ambrose and freshman Reily Pond combined for 18 saves. Monroe freshman Kennedy Ludwig saved two or three goals playing sweeper, which is the last line of defense before the goalie.
"Kennedy played an absolutely great game," O'Neill said. "She made a couple of saves in the 11th hour when the ball was about to go into the net."
Ambrose played goalkeeper in the first half and Pond was goalie for the second half. In the 54th minute, the Blue Devils had a shot deflect off Pond and rolled towards the goal. Ludwig chased down the ball and corralled it before it found the back of the net. Lodi's Shelbi Buettner snuck in a goal past a diving Pond at 55:08 to tie the game at 1.
With seven freshman playing on the varsity, the Cheesemakers have a new look from their sectional runner-up team from last year. O'Neill is excited with the way the Cheesemakers played and have progressed in a short amount of time.
"They did a better job of making opportunities and penetrating the defense," O'Neill said. "They never gave up. I think it's a very new team. We are getting used to each other and our positions. Once they get settled into their roles and positions on the field, there is a huge amount of potential there."
Robotski's shot in the 87th minute ricocheted off the top cross bar and the Cheesemakers tied Lodi 1-1. Monroe lost to Lodi in double overtime last year 3-2; with the switch to 45-minute halves this season, there was no overtime. Kallgren, a first-team all-conference forward, was forced to watch the final 8 minutes from the bench after she battled cramps in her calves.
"You just have to have faith and trust in your teammates," said Kallgren, who had one goal. "I knew all of them would work hard. I knew we weren't going to give anything up. We have a pretty young team. It's a good game to show that we can keep up with them even though we graduated some seniors."
Both Kallgren and Monroe freshman Olivia Werth battled leg cramps. But Kallgren is confident she will be ready for the Cheesemakers' game at Janesville Parker today.
"I will be better for the next game," Kallgren said. "I will just load up on water."
The Blue Devils out-shot the Cheesemakers 27-23. Kallgren scored a goal at 19 minutes, 3 seconds by spinning and breaking away from several Blue Devils defenders and then punching in a goal to the far post to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead. The Cheesemakers had several other golden scoring opportunities in the first half going with the wind, but came up empty.
"I think that was really nice momentum to step up their game," Monroe coach Miriam O'Neill said of Kallgren's goal. "There were a lot of good opportunities. The wind certainly played a large factor. It's hard to be accurate on the net with the wind taking the ball."
Monroe senior goalkeeper Gwendolyn Ambrose and freshman Reily Pond combined for 18 saves. Monroe freshman Kennedy Ludwig saved two or three goals playing sweeper, which is the last line of defense before the goalie.
"Kennedy played an absolutely great game," O'Neill said. "She made a couple of saves in the 11th hour when the ball was about to go into the net."
Ambrose played goalkeeper in the first half and Pond was goalie for the second half. In the 54th minute, the Blue Devils had a shot deflect off Pond and rolled towards the goal. Ludwig chased down the ball and corralled it before it found the back of the net. Lodi's Shelbi Buettner snuck in a goal past a diving Pond at 55:08 to tie the game at 1.
With seven freshman playing on the varsity, the Cheesemakers have a new look from their sectional runner-up team from last year. O'Neill is excited with the way the Cheesemakers played and have progressed in a short amount of time.
"They did a better job of making opportunities and penetrating the defense," O'Neill said. "They never gave up. I think it's a very new team. We are getting used to each other and our positions. Once they get settled into their roles and positions on the field, there is a huge amount of potential there."
