Early struggles

The Patriots have been bitten by early goals in the first two games of the year.

Another early goal bit them again.

The Jay County High School girls soccer team fell by one goal in its third-straight Allen County Athletic Conference game this year as the Woodlan Warriors 2-1 Saturday morning.

The Heritage Patriots found a way to score on Jay County (0-3, 0-3 ACAC) in the first five minutes of both games.

Woodlan (2-0-1) also attacked and scored in the first five minutes. Leah Hathaway got a ball through the midfield to Ava McAlexander, who had a one-on-one with Jenna Dues. McAlexander was able to get past Dues and put the ball into the back of the net with only 2:12 coming off the clock.

“We are getting so ahead of ourselves that we feel like we have to be on our side and score a goal right away but we’re not ready,” Patriots coach Kendra Muhlenkamp said. “We can do all the warm up we want but gametime is a lot different than warm up. We’ve just got to get our passes down before we even try to make a run.”

Jay County High School freshman Tessa Frazee kicks a ball across the halfway line during the Patriots' 2-1 loss against Woodlan Saturday. Frazee had two shots on goal and a save in the match. (The Commercial Review/Andrew Balko)

 

The Warriors scored a second goal in the 33rd minute against Ellie Wendel who filled in for Angel Clairday who didn’t play in the first half. McAlexander kicked the ball with a lot of arc, so that it got just past the outstretched arm of Wendel as she jumped. The goal, assisted by Brooke Kneubuhler, came with 6:10 left in the half.

The Patriots only goal came in the 23rd minute of the second half. After the ball was batted around before Sophia Sprunger chipped it over goalie Jenna Mackin’s head.

“I just knew we had to get it in,” Sprunger said. “I have been working in practice, just trying to get my ball up, because mine used to just roll on the ground. I was trying to get it up and past (Mackin).”

In the absence of senior captain Molly Muhlenkamp, Aixa Lopez became a focal point the in midfield for the Patriots. She was the main ball-handler, and led the team with nine shots on the goal while tying Jayla Huelskamp with 12 steals.

Lopez’s footwork allowed her to burn Woodlan defenders on multiple occasions, leading to the Warriors sending multiple defenders at her whenever she had the ball to slow her down and force her to give it up.

“They stepped up and they knew what they had to do after the first time (Lopez) had possession of the ball,” Woodlan coach Matt Stebing said. “They communicated out there. I didn't even have to tell them. So that was definitely a good thing.”

Aixa Lopez controls the ball before turning past the Warriors' Elena Baumert in Jay County High School's girls soccer match on Saturday. Lopez did a lot of ballhandling for the Patriots, as they fell 2-1 to Woodlan. (The Commercial Review/Andrew Balko)

 

Muhlenkamp pointed out how the Patriots are still struggling to connect with one another on the field and lack the want to get to open balls first. Despite the struggles, she looked at Saturday’s game as a learning opportunity for her players.

“I'd say the girls got better after today and that they realize anything could happen,” Muhlenkamp said. “I’m swapping girls constantly. We’re still trying to figure it out.”