BELLEVILLE - Sugar River soccer coach John Ziperski didn't need to make any fiery speeches before Tuesday's game against Sun Prairie.
Ziperski predicts the Cardinals will be one of the top four teams in the Big Eight Conference this season, and the visitors lived up to their advanced billing in knocking off the Raiders
4-1 in their home opener.
"This year it may sound like a broken record, but it's about progressing and taking the step to get better," Ziperski said. "We are young. We have a nice new core. It's just building that chemistry."
Dana Baldwin scored two goals for Sun Prairie, which improved to 5-0.
Both the Raiders (1-1-1) and Cardinals had golden scoring opportunities in the first 2 minutes, but shots on goal sailed just over the crossbar. Sun Prairie's Christa Scott snuck in a shot to the near post after following up a long shot by Tess Lund at 21 minutes, 57 seconds. Moments later, Baldwin scored her first goal on a penalty kick to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
"We got a break with that penalty kick," Sun Prairie coach Matt Cleveland said. "That was nice to give us a cushion. We are stronger and have more experience. You can kind of pick up where you left off last year. That's not the case with a lot of teams."
Sugar River junior Kaitlin Jennrich scored a goal late in the first half on an indirect kick to cut the Cardinals' lead to 2-1 at the half.
"I have been having a lot of really good looks with indirect kicks," Jennrich said. "It felt good to get that one. It's just being able to loft it a little bit over the goalie and find that sweet spot."
With more experience as a team, Jennrich is confident the Raiders could have a different outcome against the Cardinals.
"At some point, I think we will be able to beat them," she said. "It just wasn't tonight."
The Cardinals got second-half goals from Baldwin and Liz Conejo. Sugar River senior goalkeeper Raylynn Jelle had seven saves.
"We talked about controlling the pace," Cleveland said. "We didn't control the pace in the first half. We did a much better job of controlling the pace in the second half."
Ziperski will look to build off the game before the first conference game against Poynette-Portage on Thursday.
"We were talking at the half that we were still in it," he said.
"I never thought like we were overwhelmed and couldn't play with them. Our midfielders will get better at getting back on defense. We are learning to play off of each other."
Ziperski predicts the Cardinals will be one of the top four teams in the Big Eight Conference this season, and the visitors lived up to their advanced billing in knocking off the Raiders
4-1 in their home opener.
"This year it may sound like a broken record, but it's about progressing and taking the step to get better," Ziperski said. "We are young. We have a nice new core. It's just building that chemistry."
Dana Baldwin scored two goals for Sun Prairie, which improved to 5-0.
Both the Raiders (1-1-1) and Cardinals had golden scoring opportunities in the first 2 minutes, but shots on goal sailed just over the crossbar. Sun Prairie's Christa Scott snuck in a shot to the near post after following up a long shot by Tess Lund at 21 minutes, 57 seconds. Moments later, Baldwin scored her first goal on a penalty kick to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
"We got a break with that penalty kick," Sun Prairie coach Matt Cleveland said. "That was nice to give us a cushion. We are stronger and have more experience. You can kind of pick up where you left off last year. That's not the case with a lot of teams."
Sugar River junior Kaitlin Jennrich scored a goal late in the first half on an indirect kick to cut the Cardinals' lead to 2-1 at the half.
"I have been having a lot of really good looks with indirect kicks," Jennrich said. "It felt good to get that one. It's just being able to loft it a little bit over the goalie and find that sweet spot."
With more experience as a team, Jennrich is confident the Raiders could have a different outcome against the Cardinals.
"At some point, I think we will be able to beat them," she said. "It just wasn't tonight."
The Cardinals got second-half goals from Baldwin and Liz Conejo. Sugar River senior goalkeeper Raylynn Jelle had seven saves.
"We talked about controlling the pace," Cleveland said. "We didn't control the pace in the first half. We did a much better job of controlling the pace in the second half."
Ziperski will look to build off the game before the first conference game against Poynette-Portage on Thursday.
"We were talking at the half that we were still in it," he said.
"I never thought like we were overwhelmed and couldn't play with them. Our midfielders will get better at getting back on defense. We are learning to play off of each other."
