The men’s soccer team failed to score in their last home game of the spring on Tuesday.
They lost 2-0 against Ohio professional soccer team, the Dayton Dutch Lions, failing to score for the fourth consecutive game. The players are taking more away from this game than just another loss.
“It was a good experience to play against one of the better teams in Ohio,” senior midfielder Danny Baraldi said. “It’s a good way to grow with our team because we’re a young team, so it’s a great experience for those guys to get out there against a top level team.”
Not only did the Falcons gain valuable experience against the Dutch Lions, but the game carries meaning beyond the scoreboard.
“It was good, we enjoy this game,” head coach Eric Nichols said. “It’s great that they come up. Guys were excited.”
Aside from the positivity against Dayton, the Falcons suffered through another tough game. Despite holding the Dutch Lions scoreless in the first half, Dayton came out strong to start the second half, scoring the first goal of the game just over a minute in.
Dayton went on to score the second and final goal of the game with just over eight minutes left, giving them the 2-0 victory.
However, the Falcons have seen improvement throughout the spring, especially closing out their home schedule.
“We stuck to our game plan,” Baraldi said. “We had a few breakdowns in the back that led to goals but other than that I think we played pretty good. One of the better games of the spring so far, guys are getting experience and they’re starting to show a little more. We competed very well tonight.”
Not only were the players pleased with the effort they put forth, but Nichols echoed similar thoughts.
“I thought we did really well,” coach Nichols said. “I’m really pleased with this because I saw some really promising things.”
Despite getting just seven shots compared to 12 for the Dutch Lions, the chances that the Falcons did get were promising looks.
“We’re getting in the final third and we have too many ideas,” Nichols said. “We need to narrow down those ideas. We need to simplify in the final third because we’re making it more complicated than it needs to be.”
These issues have been a part of the struggles for the Falcons throughout the spring.
“The first touch was better, but this is a group that struggles a little bit technically,” Nichols said.
The technicality on the field was ultimately the difference in the game. The Falcons lacked the ability to regularly advance the ball, whereas the Dutch Lions displayed a more refined style of play.
“Those guys are technical, this is what they do for a living so they play at a high level,” Nichols said. “There’s some good players there.”
Despite the loss, the Falcons are constantly improving during practice and are watching their repeated work come to fruition.
“We’ve got to clean up the defensive goal and the attacking goal, but guys are getting opportunities,” Nichols said. “There are some guys that have played 90 minute games that haven’t played ever before.”
This experience throughout the spring has given the Falcons hope, as they will head into the fall season with a positive mindset.
