No. 13 Central Missouri State might have been the bully Wednesday night, but Emporia State soccer coach Jim Schneiderhahn was pleased that his team wasn’t content to be the coward.
“When you get into a barfight with the biggest dude in the bar, you’ve got to smack them in the nose and keep on smacking,” Schneiderhahn said. “I think that’s what we did tonight. We hit them, and we kept hitting them and hitting them.”
It wouldn’t be enough for the Hornets, however, as Central rolled to a 4-1 victory at the TRYSA Soccer Complex.
Still, Schneiderhahn remained happy with his team’s progress and how far it has come in just a few weeks.
“I told the girls it’s like building a house — each time, we’re building a little bit more,” Schneiderhahn said. “We’ve built a foundation, we’re working on framing it in, and now we’re going to do the things that are necessary to make it livable.”
CMSU’s Hazel Cox broke through in the 15th minute, scoring on an assist from Melanie Hall to make it 1-0.
Cox added a second goal seven minutes later, but ESU responded.
In the 43rd minute, Caitlin Riemer sent a ball just outside the box toward a streaking Sarah Tetuan.
The sophomore never did get to it, but a CMSU defender did, accidentally deflecting it in to make it 2-1.
“We didn’t get down when they first scored after their goals,” Riemer said. “I think we started out really well.”
Schneiderhahn also complimented his players on their first-half play, especially after a rough beginning in the previous game against Washburn.
“Tonight we came out great gangbusters and really took it to them,” Schneiderhahn said. “We played with them. I think they were worried.”
The Jennies tacked on two more tallies in the second half, receiving goals from Landri Schmitt in the 55th minute and Angela Dobbie in the 62nd.
CMSU improved its record to a perfect 6-0. ESU fell to 1-5 with the loss.
“We were playing good soccer,” Riemer said. “We just had some little mistakes that really killed us.”
ESU was outshot in the match, 15-9.
The Hornets will be home again on Saturday, hosting No. 18 Truman at 11 a.m. at the TRYSA Soccer Complex.
“From our first game to this match, we have improved by leaps and bounds, and that’s the idea,” Schneiderhahn said. “It’s a marathon and not a sprint, so if we can get better every day, that’s a beautiful thing.”