MONROE - The Cheesemakers (6-3-1, 2-1 Badger South) continued their winning ways, knocking off conference foe Fort Atkinson Tuesday, 2-0. It was the team's third win in the past week.
"I saw a team that went out and really wanted this game. It's a conference game and senior night. They were just really fired up," Monroe head coach Miriam O'Neill said.
Monroe's first goal came moments after the opening kick. Senior Alyssa Studer got into the box and scored off of an assist from Tessa Brown at the 2 minute, 53 second mark, giving the Cheesemakers the only goal they would need.
"I wasn't really expecting it, but I figured I would just shoot and see if it goes in," Studer said.
Studer has played defense throughout her career until last week when O'Neill switched her to midfield.
"It's different. I really like to pass it around on the ground a lot," Studer said. "I feel like I can be more effective and keep everyone moving."
O'Neill was proud of the way Studer picked up her game and happy she scored.
"One of the reasons we wanted to move Alyssa is that she is such an intelligent soccer player. She always knows where to go and where to send the ball," O'Neill said. "She's a really unselfish player. Before the game, I specifically said to her to be selfish in the box. She likes to play this beautiful passing game - and it looks lovely. I was just so pleased to see her take that shot and score that goal."
Monroe, which dominated the offensive possessions in the game, had several other scoring opportunities in the first half, but came up short. Both Kylee Ritschard and Chelsea Haffele narrowly missed on headers inside the box, and Lily Priewe went wide right by about a foot on a quick shot later in the half. In the second half, Briana Beck had a shot bounce off the left post. Monroe had 17 shots on goal.
"Lily had a great touch in front of the goal. In another game down the road, that will happen again and that will go in. Lily took that touch and it was exactly the right thing to do," O'Neill said. "I had to tell (the team) at halftime that they were playing a really nice game. I was sure they were going to score again - they were quite composed on the field. We had a lot of nice shots."
The Cheesemakers held a 1-0 lead until the final two minutes. Haffele got a pass from Leeza Foley on a breakaway and put the ball in the back of the net at the 78:18 mark to give Monroe the two-goal cushion. Goalkeeper Gail LaVoie had six saves.
"We played a really nice possession game. We saw a lot of passing. Tessa Brown was on fire on the right-hand side and sent some beautiful crosses into the front of the goal," O'Neill said.
O'Neill added that she was pleased with how her seniors stepped up, not only in the game, but to keep the program running on all cylinders.
"I have to mention our seniors. We have 13 seniors and several on our J-V team. Some of those seniors who joined this year had never played soccer before. We would be lost without them because we have to have a J-V team. I have to give a lot of credit to our seniors," O'Neill said.
"I saw a team that went out and really wanted this game. It's a conference game and senior night. They were just really fired up," Monroe head coach Miriam O'Neill said.
Monroe's first goal came moments after the opening kick. Senior Alyssa Studer got into the box and scored off of an assist from Tessa Brown at the 2 minute, 53 second mark, giving the Cheesemakers the only goal they would need.
"I wasn't really expecting it, but I figured I would just shoot and see if it goes in," Studer said.
Studer has played defense throughout her career until last week when O'Neill switched her to midfield.
"It's different. I really like to pass it around on the ground a lot," Studer said. "I feel like I can be more effective and keep everyone moving."
O'Neill was proud of the way Studer picked up her game and happy she scored.
"One of the reasons we wanted to move Alyssa is that she is such an intelligent soccer player. She always knows where to go and where to send the ball," O'Neill said. "She's a really unselfish player. Before the game, I specifically said to her to be selfish in the box. She likes to play this beautiful passing game - and it looks lovely. I was just so pleased to see her take that shot and score that goal."
Monroe, which dominated the offensive possessions in the game, had several other scoring opportunities in the first half, but came up short. Both Kylee Ritschard and Chelsea Haffele narrowly missed on headers inside the box, and Lily Priewe went wide right by about a foot on a quick shot later in the half. In the second half, Briana Beck had a shot bounce off the left post. Monroe had 17 shots on goal.
"Lily had a great touch in front of the goal. In another game down the road, that will happen again and that will go in. Lily took that touch and it was exactly the right thing to do," O'Neill said. "I had to tell (the team) at halftime that they were playing a really nice game. I was sure they were going to score again - they were quite composed on the field. We had a lot of nice shots."
The Cheesemakers held a 1-0 lead until the final two minutes. Haffele got a pass from Leeza Foley on a breakaway and put the ball in the back of the net at the 78:18 mark to give Monroe the two-goal cushion. Goalkeeper Gail LaVoie had six saves.
"We played a really nice possession game. We saw a lot of passing. Tessa Brown was on fire on the right-hand side and sent some beautiful crosses into the front of the goal," O'Neill said.
O'Neill added that she was pleased with how her seniors stepped up, not only in the game, but to keep the program running on all cylinders.
"I have to mention our seniors. We have 13 seniors and several on our J-V team. Some of those seniors who joined this year had never played soccer before. We would be lost without them because we have to have a J-V team. I have to give a lot of credit to our seniors," O'Neill said.
