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Flyer Soccer Splits Friday Doubleheader
Flyer Soccer Splits Friday Doubleheader
Christopher Rieman
Published by Chris R
09-03-2016
Smile Flyer Soccer Splits Friday Doubleheader

The UD soccer teams played a home doubleheader for the second weekend in a row, coming away 1-1 on the evening as the Flyer women lost 3-1 to Xavier while the Flyer men topped St. Francis (PA) 3-0 in the nightcap at Baujan Field. Mike Tucker's unbeaten streak over the Muskies ends at 14, while the men found the back of the net for the first time all season.

WSOC GAME 1: Xavier 3 Dayton 1

The Flyer women's soccer team has struggled mightily thus far, entering the match at 0-3-0. But history was on their side as UD has completely dominated the Xavier series over the last 15 years. Looking to notch their first victory of the season, UD needed to eradicate the bugaboos of the prior three matches and -- for once -- feel what it's like to play with a lead.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen and the first minutes of the match were a carbon copy of the season thus far, surrendering an early goal and chasing the game against an opponent that was very beatable.

Xavier took a free kick from the right side in the 9th minute and crossed it inside the six-yard box. The Flyer back line did not defend it well and UD GK Jenna DiTusa was unable to reach the in-swinger in time to punch the ball to safety. Once again, UD surrendered a relatively soft goal against the scoreboard and were unable to put their best foot forward in the opening minutes.

As it turned out, the Muskies took just one shot on goal for the entire first half yet managed to find the back of the Flyer net. The ongoing inability of the Flyers to keep the score down has hampered every match thus far -- not a great sign for a team struggling to score themselves.

Dayton had some first half chances however to cash in and tie the game. A couple corner kicks, a handful of free kicks, and an open-net shot that took a deflection and caromed off the post resulted in a number of near misses, allowing XU to cling to a 1-0 advantage.

The run of play remained choppy for both sides as there was little flow to the game. Dayton's misfortunes were almost singularly due to poor trapping, errant passes, and other head-scratching plays on the ball that had little if any purpose. The staff elected to push Libby Leedom from the back line to the midfield to help jumpstart things, but the results were much the same at her position and everywhere on the pitch.

Halftime stats favored UD in shots 5-4 and corner kicks 2-0.

The second half was much of the same. Xavier took advantage of a poor defensive loose-ball challenge about 40 yards out, countered quickly, and slotted a ball to the lower left post from 20 yards out to make the score 2-0 in the 58th minute. Once again, the Flyers surrendered at least two goals in a match -- something they have done in all four games this year. To come back from 2-0 down is asking far too much from this team right now, especially as a matter of habit.

Dayton did manage to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 64th minute when Meghan Blank made a nice move along the baseline and fed Madeleine Morrissey for the redirect from six yards out to give UD some hope.

The Muskies stuck a fork in things in the 83rd minute after Samantha Dewey (too easily) juked two Dayton defenders and ripped a shot from 20 yards to the upper far post that made the score 3-1 and salted things away.

UD outshot XU 14-12 and won the battle of corner kicks 4-3. Xavier scored three goals on four total shots on goal. DiTusa was credited with just one save. Those kind of offensive efficiency numbers are the stuff of coaches' dreams, but Xavier made it happen on Friday evening -- which is alarming because Xavier has shortcomings too and may struggle to finish .500 this year.

There's no need to over-analyze the match because the shortcomings Friday evening were many of the same issues plaguing the first three matches: inept fundamentals, suspect effort for loose balls, and too many players playing with their heads down and disconnected from their surroundings. Once presented with the ball, too many players are rushed to make decisions -- those decisions and one- or two-touch passes should have been decided long before the ball reaches their feet. Until the game slows down for Dayton, the struggles are likely to continue.

The absence of Erin O'Malley in the midfield continues to hurt Dayton's play, but other than Alexis Kiehl and a couple others, too many field players are providing little in the way of substance.

UD goes for win #1 on Sunday afternoon vs. Purdue.

MSOC GAME 1: Dayton 3 St. Francis (PA) 0

The Flyer men's soccer team took the field looking to end as much or adversity than the women's team. Losers of their first two matches on the season and yet to score in four total matches (2 exhibition, 2 regular season), Dayton needed something -- anything -- to go their way.

Fortunately, St. Francis was not an especially talented side. They lacked dynamic playmakers and were not a big team either, making UD's job a bit easier.

For much of the first half, the Flyers were better organized and had more possession in the offensive half of the field. The Red Flashes struggled to generate anything meaningful in Dayton's defensive third, taking some of the pressure away and allowing UD to remain patient over the course of the first 45 minutes.

That's not to say it was gorgeous soccer. The continued absence (season-ending injury) to MF/F James Haupt has left the Flyer offense without a rudder in many respects, let alone some important leadership from an A10 First Team player and upperclassman. Dayton's front line players comprise freshmen and sophomores and asking them to carry the scoring burden is a lot to ask.

Still, St. Francis had weaknesses in many parts of the field and the Flyers looked potent enough to finally cash in and get a goal.

It didn't happen in the first half however. Both sides slapped the ball around and UD had their chances inside the box, but the lack of a seasoned distributing MF this year like Amass Amankona last season continues to make the transition game from defense to offense a serious work in progress.

The long balls were, at times, dangerous. But all too often they are easy pickings as well, letting opposing back lines off the hook by serving them header clearances that ended the push forward.

Halftime stats favored UD in shots 3-1 and corner kicks 7-0.

It took some work, but the second half of the match finally resulted in 2016's first goal of the season in the 64th minute -- a nice score no less after David Lianes took a great first touch and turned the corner along the left side of the goal box. His baseline cross to the far post met Rok Taneski for the pounce from 10 yards out -- redirected to the opposing post exactly where it was supposed to go.

Up 1-0, UD finally felt good about themselves and could play out in front of the scoreboard. Nick Hagenkord made it 2-0 in the 71st minute on a free kick from 30yds out that bounced in the box and was misplayed by St. Francis GK Marcus Rojas. Rojas should have done better with it, but felt charitable on the night and Dayton gladly accepted.

Hagenkord added a third goal in the 80th minute on another excellent cross in the box that resulted in a textbook finish. Up 3-0, the Flyers were guaranteed their first victory of the season as the Red Flashes had nowhere near the firepower to remotely threaten the result.

Dayton outshot St. Francis 10-6 and won the battle of corner kicks 7-5, though UD was out-cornered 5-0 in the second half. Flyer GK Justin Saliba earned the shutout.

As good as it was to get a W, Dayton remains a serious work in progress. The lack of midfield playmakers to transition the defense to offense is holding a lot of the continuity in check. The forwards must dig out more loose balls. And the back line must eliminate mental errors. At this point in the season however, it's all about setting the team up for the Atlantic-10 race. That's where UD will make noise and it's their only chance to position themselves for a postseason run.

UD remains at home and tackles Belmont on Sunday afternoon in the second match of a doubleheader with the UD women's soccer team. Kickoff is 4pm.
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