When you look at the numbers, Emporia High’s 2-0 loss to Washburn Rural doesn’t look that bad.
The Spartans were outshot 29-3. Shots on goal were 19-2 in Washburn Rural’s favor. Once again, it was the perfect recipe for another opponent to shut the Spartans out, which happened for the fifth time in the last six games.
Just looking at the stats, one would think this would have been a blowout. But for EHS coach John Decker and anyone who braved the rain on Tuesday at TRYSA, the Spartans did not look outclassed, and there were some encouraging signs.
Decker has been challenging his team to be aggressive, and in the second half the Spartans answered their coach’s demand. They went in hard for loose balls. They were physical on defense and matched Washburn Rural’s intensity.
“We talked a lot about playing more aggressive, and the first half it wasn’t there,” Decker said. “We talked about it at halftime of Shawnee Heights. We talked about it before the game at Shawnee Heights. Finally this half, we came out and we were aggressive.”
Unfortunately for the Spartans, their aggressive play still didn’t turn into many goal-scoring opportunities. They struggled to get the ball into the box and when they did get the ball in, they couldn’t get off a shot.
Emporia’s best chance came near the end of the first half when a cross found the head of Jordan Sosa. Sosa headed the ball over the goalie’s head, but it also went over the crossbar.
For a team that’s in a scoring funk, that’s just how it goes.
“It’s tough and it gets you on your heels, and then you try harder and then you mis-hit it more,” Decker said. “It’s not the first time we went through scoring droughts and it won’t be the last. Hopefully we’ll break through it by the end of the season.”
While the Spartans have been unable to light up the scoreboard, they’ve still been in games. The main reason has been the improved EHS defense and the play of goalie Melanie Nuessen.
Nuessen was her usual self in goal on Tuesday. The junior goalkeeper stopped 17 shots and made several acrobatic saves. Washburn Rural tried to beat her up top several times, and Nuessen used her height and quick reach to knock away what looked to be sure goals.
“That’s her job and she does it well,” Decker said. “As a coach, we’re comfortable with her back there, don’t have any worries. You just can’t give up as many shots as we gave up.”
The only two shots that snuck past Nuessen were both in the box and both on the ground.
The first was 2:02 into the game when an EHS defender tried to pass to Nuessen in the box and Rural’s Whitney Peavler stepped in front of the pass and scored.
“It was a big miscommunication that shouldn’t have happened,” Nuessen said.
Peavler beat the Spartans again in the second half, dribbling into the box on the right side and shooting past Nuessen to the far post.
With a struggling offense, Emporia could not mount a rally in the second half. But, as Decker said, they were more aggressive, and the coach saw something new from his team that gives him faith they can turn their recent slump around.
“I was disappointed in their attitude the last few games, the way they took it,” he said. “Nobody’s happy after a loss, but you can be upset about it in a positive way and a negative way, and I thought they were negative about the last couple.”
Emporia dropped to 5-7-1 with the loss. They play again on Thursday at Hayden.