Emporia State soccer falls in final home game, 2-0
By Jesse Newell
Originally published 03:16 p.m., October 22, 2007
Updated 03:16 p.m., October 22, 2007
Emporia State coach Jim Schneiderhahn figured that there’d be some carryover effect from his team’s gut-wrenching double-overtime loss to Central Missouri on Friday.
He was right — just not the way he wanted to be.
ESU came out a step slow Saturday, giving up an early goal and never recovering in a 2-0 loss to Missouri Western in the Hornets’ final home game.
“We definitely struggled early,” Schneiderhahn said, “and struggled to get our feet underneath us.”
That would be enough to doom the Hornets (0-17, 0-11 MIAA), as Western’s Meigan Soo lofted a shot over ESU keeper Megan Martin in the sixth minute to give the Griffons their 1-0 lead.
“Being that we’ve lost all our games, it’s hard when they get one in,” ESU freshman Lauren Cathey said, “because we flash back to all our previous games.”
The Hornets still managed to stay only a goal behind all the way until the 78th minute when the momentum of the match seemed like it might shift.
Cathey found herself in a breakaway situation against MWSU keeper Shaylynn Milbourn. The ESU freshman side-stepped the goalie, then punched her shot toward the right side of the goal.
The ball rolled just wide of the post.
“I saw the spot and knew where I had to shoot it,” Cathey said. “I don’t know what happened. I was focusing.
“I would like to say it was a bad touch, but I probably hit it off my foot wrong.”
Western (4-14, 2-9 MIAA) ended it soon thereafter, as Michelle Polk’s shot from the right side found the net in the 87th minute for a 2-0 advantage.
“We’re just under a cloud right now, and we’ve got to battle to get out from under it,” Schneiderhahn said. “The soccer gods are having their way with us. We’ve got to kick back.”
Much of the gloominess could still be attributed to Friday’s loss.
ESU held a 1-0 lead over MIAA-leading UCM before giving up a penalty-kick goal with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Hornets went on to lose in double overtime.
The coach said a victory there — or Cathey’s shot going in Saturday — would have helped some sun break through his team’s dark clouds.
“I saw a glimmer (Friday) with 20 seconds left. With 19 seconds, it started pouring and raining on my parade,” Schneiderhahn said. “It would have worked out well (today) if the goal was two inches wider.”
Western outshot ESU 16-8, but the Hornets had more corner kicks (5-2).
Martin posted seven saves.
ESU will close the year with road games this weekend against Southwest Baptist and Missouri Southern.
“We’ve got to finish this out,” Schneiderhahn said. “That’s part of life.
“You’ve got to finish what you started.”
Saturday at TRYSA
Missouri Western 2, Emporia State 0
Missouri Western 1 1 — 2
Emporia State 0 0 — 0
First Half
MWSU — Meigan Soo (unassisted), 5:25
Second Half
MWSU — Michelle Polk (unassisted), 86:24
Shots — Missouri Western 16, Emporia State 8. Corner kicks — Missouri Western 2, Emporia State 5. Saves — Shaylynn Milbourn (MWSU) 3, Megan Martin (ESU) 7. Att — 75.
Records — Missouri Western (4-14, 2-9 MIAA); Emporia State (0-17, 0-11 MIAA).