MONROE - Through the rain and mud they played. Unfortunately for the Cheesemakers, rain and mud all too often mean struggling to get a handle on the ball, as was the case in Thursday's 3-2 boys soccer loss to Mount Horeb.
"We always have a little problem with rain," Monroe head coach Tony Stamm said. "I think it would have been a little bit more of an advantage for us if it was a little bit drier out."
Monroe took the lead right away, with senior sharpshooter Andrew Aurit scoring just five minutes, 20 seconds into the game off an assist from junior Kelli Isaj.
The early scoring advantage held up for nearly 17 minutes, until the Vikings scored off a corner kick. Just seven minutes later, Mount Horeb put the Cheesemakers down 2-1.
Moments after the Vikings' second goal, Isaj was given a yellow card for complaining after being knocked down into the mud on a breakaway, forcing Stamm to put his midfielder on the bench.
"He's very motivated. He really wanted (to win) bad," Stamm said. "I think he kind of cooled down and found his composure after we sat him for a little while."
Monroe's frustrations continued as the half continued. With under three minutes to play, Aurit got behind a perfect downfield pass on a breakaway and cleared the defenders, sending the ball past Mount Horeb's goalie. The officials, however, called an offsides penalty, erasing whatever score and momentum the Cheesemakers could have gained.
With just 43 seconds left in the half, Mount Horeb scored another goal as a shot from the corner of the box reached just outside the diving arms of Monroe goalkeeper Jordan Steurer.
In the second half, Monroe had ample chances to net a score, but many went just wide of the posts, or over the crossbar.
"We had a lot of opportunities, we just couldn't finish on them," Stamm said.
Five minutes into the half, Isaj scored on a header off a corner kick by Michael Gross.
Eight minutes later, Aurit got past the goalkeeper on a breakaway, but a shot from the baseline edge of the box couldn't curve into the goal.
With 15:12 left, Isaj sent a shot toward the goal, but missed. The ensuing corner kick also came up empty.
With 13 minutes to play, Aurit was tripped again on a breakaway inside the box by two players. No penalty was called and the ball stayed alive, reaching Isaj's head at the top of the box. The header sent the ball to the crossbar, only to be tipped away at the last second by the Vikings' goalkeeper.
"We played well and had a lot of energy out there," Stamm said. "Mount Horeb is a great team. Our varsity has never beat hem. We've had opportunities both on our field and at their field."
Monroe's junior varsity lost 6-0.
"We always have a little problem with rain," Monroe head coach Tony Stamm said. "I think it would have been a little bit more of an advantage for us if it was a little bit drier out."
Monroe took the lead right away, with senior sharpshooter Andrew Aurit scoring just five minutes, 20 seconds into the game off an assist from junior Kelli Isaj.
The early scoring advantage held up for nearly 17 minutes, until the Vikings scored off a corner kick. Just seven minutes later, Mount Horeb put the Cheesemakers down 2-1.
Moments after the Vikings' second goal, Isaj was given a yellow card for complaining after being knocked down into the mud on a breakaway, forcing Stamm to put his midfielder on the bench.
"He's very motivated. He really wanted (to win) bad," Stamm said. "I think he kind of cooled down and found his composure after we sat him for a little while."
Monroe's frustrations continued as the half continued. With under three minutes to play, Aurit got behind a perfect downfield pass on a breakaway and cleared the defenders, sending the ball past Mount Horeb's goalie. The officials, however, called an offsides penalty, erasing whatever score and momentum the Cheesemakers could have gained.
With just 43 seconds left in the half, Mount Horeb scored another goal as a shot from the corner of the box reached just outside the diving arms of Monroe goalkeeper Jordan Steurer.
In the second half, Monroe had ample chances to net a score, but many went just wide of the posts, or over the crossbar.
"We had a lot of opportunities, we just couldn't finish on them," Stamm said.
Five minutes into the half, Isaj scored on a header off a corner kick by Michael Gross.
Eight minutes later, Aurit got past the goalkeeper on a breakaway, but a shot from the baseline edge of the box couldn't curve into the goal.
With 15:12 left, Isaj sent a shot toward the goal, but missed. The ensuing corner kick also came up empty.
With 13 minutes to play, Aurit was tripped again on a breakaway inside the box by two players. No penalty was called and the ball stayed alive, reaching Isaj's head at the top of the box. The header sent the ball to the crossbar, only to be tipped away at the last second by the Vikings' goalkeeper.
"We played well and had a lot of energy out there," Stamm said. "Mount Horeb is a great team. Our varsity has never beat hem. We've had opportunities both on our field and at their field."
Monroe's junior varsity lost 6-0.
