'Playing Through a Lot'
ESU soccer team battles to 3-1 loss despite injuries, illnesses
By Jesse Newell
Friday, September 28, 2007
How’s this for long odds?
On Thursday, the Emporia State soccer team started a 5-foot-2 goalie who’d never played the position in her life, finished the game with 11 healthy players and no subs and had its only goal-scorer considering a trip to the hospital because of kidney stones.
Oh, and the Hornets faced Missouri Southern, a team that entered the game at 6-2.
It was no wonder, then, that a 3-1 loss didn’t feel so bad for the Hornets in Thursday night’s matchup at the TRYSA soccer fields.
“I think us girls have enough pride,” ESU junior Sarah Tetuan said, “to go out there still and fight as hard as we can.”
ESU managed to keep the match competitive — an outcome that wouldn’t have been expected given the Hornets’ circumstances.
Let’s start with Tetuan, who started her first game at goalkeeper because of an injury to Megan Martin.
The ESU forward had never played keeper before in her life. And she only had one day to prepare after learning on Wednesday she was going to be put in the position.
“I just had to go out,” Tetuan said, “and learn on my own.”
The junior looked like a natural.
Tetuan grabbed seven saves and allowed just three goals — with two of those going over the top of her outstretched 5-foot-2 frame.
“She was enthusiastic about it ... Nervous, obviously, but enthusiastic about it and willing to do whatever it takes for her team,” ESU coach Jim Schneiderhahn said. “As a teammate, you can’t look for any more than that.”
Caitlin Riemer also gave a gutsy performance.
After Southern put in the first goal in the 10th minute, Riemer responded.
Just two minutes later, she sent a long kick toward the goal from 40 yards out that appeared to be a cross for her teammates.
Instead, the ball kept carrying, floating its way over Southern keeper Kaney Tyler to tie the score at 1.
Riemer tried her best to keep a straight face when saying that she meant to shoot it from that far out.
“I can’t lie about that. It was the plan,” a grinning Riemer said. “I had it all sketched out in my mind. It was going to happen just like that.”
Though Southern added two more goals, ESU held up well for the rest of the game.
Because of another injury, the Hornets had just 11 healthy players in the second half. That meant if one player would have gotten injured, the Hornets would have had to play with 10.
“It’s hard,” Schneiderhahn said. “If we would have had more numbers, I think you would have found us sustaining more pressure on them throughout the game.
“We don’t offer that as an excuse, but I think this was the first match where if we would have had a couple more people, we could have made things happen.”
Even those on the field weren’t completely healthy.
Riemer admitted after the game she was battling through kidney stones, while other teammates were competing despite nagging injuries of their own.
“People are playing through a lot out there,” Riemer said. “Half our team is probably hurting like heck right now.”
In spite of it all, the Hornets stayed relatively close on the scoreboard and statistically. ESU was outshot 22-10 and had the same number of corner kicks as Southern (4).
“We definitely had closer opportunities than we’ve had lately,” Riemer said. “I think we’re happy with how we played.”
Unfortunately, there will be no rest for the weary Hornets (0-10), as they play host to Southwest Baptist for a 7 p.m. match today.
“We’re doing well with what we have,” Riemer said. “We’ll pull out one (win) if we play like we did tonight.”
Thursday at Emporia
Missouri Southern 2 1 — 3
Emporia State 1 0 — 1
First Half
MSSU — Nikki Llewellyn (unassisted), 9:47
ESU — Caitlin Riemer (unassisted), 11:27
MSSU — Lindsay Altman (Nikki Llewellyn), 29:14
Second Half
MSSU — Erin Whelan (unassisted)
Shots — Missouri Southern 22, Emporia State 10. Saves — Kaney Tyler (MSSU) 2, Sarah Tetuan (ESU) 7. Att — 115.
Records — MSSU 7-2-1, 3-2 MIAA; ESU 0-10, 0-6 MIAA.