On Tuesday, October 10th, the RM boys varsity soccer team arrived under the bright lights of the soccer stadium, hoping to pull out a win against a tough opponent: the Whitman Vikings. Despite their best efforts, the Rockets got off to a shaky start and were unable to recover, losing 4-0.
The Rockets came in ready to fight and full of energy, but ultimately came up short. As a result of a bad warm up, the boys started off the game slow, giving up many possessions in the first half.
Whitman took advantage of the Rockets’ sloppy play by scoring three goals in the first half. As Junior John Fetch explained, “during the first half we were just not there physically.” Many of the players could be seen struggling to keep up with their opponents and weren’t able to coordinate any attacks.
During the halftime break, the Rockets’ tried to recuperate from the tough first half, hoping to turn things around in the second.
Once play resumed, the boys stepped on to the field looking like a completely different team. With renewed vigor, they cleaned up their previous sloppiness and tightened their defense, making the game much more competitive. “I felt like we woke up a lot more and got our heads in the game,” remembered Fetch, while his teammate senior Jose Paniagua affirmed, saying, “we played much better in the second half.”
Despite the marked improvement from the first half, the team was still unable to convert on any offensive plays in the second. Combined with falters on the defensive side later in the game, they ended up getting shut out four goals to none by the Vikings.
Upset, but not demoralized by their loss, the boys tried to analyze their playing in order to improve in their next game. According to Fetch, the team’s inability to work together was the biggest reason for their poor showing. “We play too much as individuals,” he admitted, “we need to come together as a team.”
Paniagua also saw problems with the team’s cohesion, yet he mostly blamed their troubles on a lack of communication. “Communication is the most important thing for the team,” said Paniagua, “if there is no communication, then there is no team”.
Much of this lack of communication can be attributed to the addition of new players this season. Many of the players are not yet familiar with one another, so on the field they have a hard time developing a proper synergy.
Fortunately, the team thinks they have a good solution to encourage better team play and communication. “We are trying to get to know each other better by talking more in practice, especially with the new players,” expressed Fetch.
With the team still developing and getting used to its new roster, they believe that their level will improve as they get more games under their belt. The Rockets will be taking on Walter Johnson next Thursday, and hopefully they will be able to take what they learned from this loss and turn it into a victory.
Featured photo by The RM Tide
