The Loper soccer team couldn’t down Washburn at Foster Field Sunday, falling 2-1 in a non-conference matchup between MIAA foes.
For the Lopers, it was the third straight loss to the Ichabods by the final of 2-1.
“I’m sick of going down to this team 2-0 and losing 2-1,” said coach Breton. “Just got to be a little better, got to mature a little bit.”
In the scoreless first half, the Lopers were outshot four-to-one, but freshman keeper Susie Bovaird would record three saves to keep the contest scoreless.
The contest was only Bovaird’s second full contest at keeper for the Lopers. Her first came Friday night against rival Fort Hays State, where she allowed only one score on nine shots on goal in the 1-0 loss.
“That’s tough as a freshman, getting thrown into the fire,” Breton said. “She did a good job Friday against Hays, she really stepped up, really competed.”
The Ichabods came out and applied the pressure early in the second half. However, they needed a little bit of help from the Lopers in the 52nd minute to get on the board. They got the help they needed, as the Ichabod’s Khloe Schuckman’s shot on goal would be deflected off a Loper defender just enough to find the back of the net to make the score 1-0.
A deflection that was easily avoidable for coach Breton’s defense.
“Easy deflection, simple,” Breton said. “Can’t turn your back, we talk about that all the time. When you turn your back you allow for a better opportunity for the ball to bounce into the goal, so there’s that one.”
The Ichabods would get another goal in the 82nd minute from Weber State transfer Aubrey Tanksley, with Riley Wells providing the assist to make it 2-0.
Another frustrating goal for coach Breton’s team.
“You can’t allow a player to cut inside onto their dominant foot around the edge of the box,” Breton said. “Especially their leading goal scorer. Just can’t allow it to happen.”
In the 88th minute the Lopers would get their goal from Corynne Olsen after Katie Pagel provided the assist to make it 2-1. However, it would be too little too late for the Lopers.
Even though it was an afternoon full of frustrating mistakes, coach Breton still saw a bright side in the loss.
“I mean, we’ve already scored more goals this year than we did all of last season,” Breton said. “The offense is progressing, we’re getting there, it’s just conviction, it’s commitment to getting the goal.”
With 12 games to go in the regular season, coach Breton said that he wants his team to be the ones that apply pressure, not succumb to it.
“We’ve got to get back to being that team on the front foot from the jump by scoring those goals early,” Breton said.
The matches against Fort Hays and Washburn did not count against the Loper’s conference record. They will now travel to Kansas to take on Emporia State on Friday at 3 p.m. Then they will face off against Washburn in the conference matchup on Sunday in Topeka at 1 p.m.
