After playing 45 minutes of very good soccer, a sluggish performance in the second half cost the Spring Arbor University women's soccer team a good result against Siena Heights University in Spring Arbor on Tuesday.
Spring Arbor got off to a great start and was able to create several quality chances to score in the early going, including a series of one touch passes that put junior striker Christine Strohmaier in behind the Saint defense in the fifth minute. Storhmaier's normally deadly right foot sent a low shot that just happened to be right at the Siena goalkeeper, something that the Spring Arbor attacking players would continue to repeat throughout the match.
Spring Arbor continued to have the run of play and possession throughout opening stanza and found pay dirt in the 19th minute when freshman forward Katie Sayler found a racing Megan Mains on the backside of the Saint defense and fed her the ball. Mains slotted her shot into the lower right corner of the net, sending SAU up 1-0. In spite of some good pressure throughout the remainder of the half SAU could convert no more and went into halftime up 1-0.
Rain began to fall as the second half started, and the visiting Saints stepped up their intensity and began to play much more directly towards the Cougar net in their attacks. In the 65th minute Siena made the Cougar backs pay for a missed clearance by finishing a shot past a diving Kristin Faraday to draw even.
Just moments later another long ball played forward was misplayed in the Cougar backfield and once again Siena was quick to capitalize, as they polished off a rebound left by Faraday after an 20 yard shot.
Spring Arbor began to push players forward, looking for the equalizer, and the Saints added insult to injury, finishing their third goal of the half on a counter from nearly 25 yards out on a blistering shot that hit the inside of the post and ricocheted in.
"We played very well for most of the match," commented SAU head coach Jason Crist. We had the better of the possession and more scoring chances, but we have to finish our chances in order to add to our number on the scoreboard. Siena is a good team and they worked very hard, especially in the second half. Hopefully we learned a valuable lesson today."
Spring Arbor launched 16 shots on the match, compared to 9 for the Saints, and also enjoyed a 3-1 edge in corner kicks.
The ladies are back in action Thursday when they travel to Winona Lake, Indiana to take on the Grace College Lancers.
