CHAMPAIGN — Sometimes with a score, there is more to it than what the scoreboard said.
What Saturday’s girls soccer game with Danville and Monticello showed a little improvement from the Lady Vikings.
After giving up a few early goals, the Vikings lost to the Sages 6-0 in the C-U Girls Soccer Classic at Demijiran Field at the University of Illinois.
“We did not give up. I think they scored too soon for our liking,” Danville head coach Mallory Franey said. “They came out ready to go and we hung in there and played great ball-handling, great passing and great movement.”
The Sages scored two minutes into the game when Addison Finet scored. With 29 minutes left, Maddy Saiger would score for Monticello and would score again about 30 seconds later. Saiger scored her third goal in the 18th minute for a 4-0 lead.
In the second half, other than two early goals for Finet, the Lady Vikings were able to stop the Sages from scoring the rest of the game.
This is one of the best games we have had, but they had breakaways and our varsity goalkeeper was injured and we had to put in our JV goalie,” Franey said. “She stepped up and is doing the best she can, but she started play in March, so she is trying hard and doing the best that she can. Defense wins games and defense won it for us. They pushed the ball forward and kept movement forward. We got unlucky when Monticello had those breakaways and put the ball in the net.”
The game was part of a day-long set of games from high school teams and a game from the University of Illinois women’s soccer team.
“It brings so much excitement and so much motivation for our girls,” Franey said. “We see the U of I signs and we see the excitement and sound system. The field was the best place we have played in. There were so many positive things and it was a great experience. Everyone is cheering for you and everyone is positive and supporting.”
“It is always so exciting,” Senior Aliyah Morgan said. ‘I like the grass and every year we have a good game, so it was nice. You have to watch where we are going. We did good as a team, but we were not watching all the time. In the first half, we had to figure it out and when we did, they didn’t score that much. We played a good game and it was one of the best games of the season. It was a fun match, I had a lot of fun and I am proud of my team.”
Morgan was moved to sweeper for the game, something that Franey said will be more permanent.
“When I came in last year, she was midfield and forward a lot,” Franey said. “Since I lost a lot of seniors, I needed to move her to a more leadership role in being sweeper. She is the last person back there and she can control the game and called things she saved us a lot today. I moved her just the other day and I am going to keep her there.”
“Every year I had here before this one has been with the same people so this is a different crew,” Morgan said. “A lot are starting to play, so we are very green and it is nice to help them. I feel they are going to get good in the years ahead. They are at their weakest point and they are going to go up from there.”
Games like Saturday can only help as the team continues to battle with a 2-12 record and three straight games coming up this week, including today’s home game with Peoria Manual at 4:30 p.m.
“We are building a foundation and a good culture,” Franey said. “Next year, I hope to get more athletes and freshmen added, there are a few freshmen that will be sophomores. I want to build numbers with a great team and a great culture and keep improving. This year is not about the scoreboard, It is about effort, attitude, teamwork, playing for the jersey and playing for sisterhood and the love of soccer.”