The Huskies lost on the road 2-0 to Cottage Grove in boys soccer on Thursday after picking up a win at home against Sutherlin on Oct. 13.
Cottage Grove and Sweet Home were tied 0-0 at halftime, Coach Eric Stutzer said. “It was 25 minutes left in the game, there was a shot right at Nik (Dishaw, keeper). When he went to catch the ball, his arm went numb. You could watch his arm fall.”
He got a hand on the shot, but it had a top spin, and his other arm wouldn’t cooperate, Stutzer said. The shot rolled in, and Cottage Grove went ahead 1-0.
Dishaw had apparently hurt his arm diving in an earlier play, Stutzer said. He sent Rowland Lupoli to goalie.
“I’ve had more injuries this year than the last 10 years combined,” Stutzer said.
Lupoli played good ball, but Cottage Grove sent in another good shot, Stutzer said.
“I really feel like we played better,” Stutzer said. “The tempo of the game was better. One of those small, weird things, and one point makes all the difference in the world when you’re playing a good team.”
Stutzer said Cottage Grove played a better game that night as well.
Sweet Home had just six shots on goal, while Cottage Grove sent 15 at the net.
“Nik had some really great saves,” about nine, Stutzer said. “He played really well, stopped a lot of balls.”
Lupoli picked up the other four, Stutzer said.
“The opportunities we did have, we just didn’t complete,” Stutzer said. With 10 minutes left, Egan Shamek had lined up a really great shot, but one of his teammates stepped in front of him. He had to side step, and he missed the shot.
Against Sutherlin, “We had some discipline issues,” Stutzer said. He had two key players on the bench during the first half.
That took the Huskies off their game, Stutzer said, and Sutherlin had improved a lot since the Huskies saw Sutherlin last. Sutherlin followed its game plan and stacked their box.
The Huskies took 15 shots, Stutzer said, but they had a hard time framing them.
Shamek scored for the Huskies 10 minutes into the second half, Stutzer said. He made a slicing run across the front of the defense, drawing defenders off, stepped back and took a shot from the top of the 18-yard box.
There wasn’t anything the defenders or goalie could do about it, Stutzer said.
Stutzer was a little concerned in the last 15 minutes, he said. “They were getting a lot of penetration on our end. They played a really good game.”
Stutzer said the Huskies, 2-7 in league and 5-7 overall, have a shot at a play-in game. They would need to win the game scheduled at Elmira on Tuesday for a shot. To guarantee a play-in game, they will also need to defeat sixth-ranked Junction City at home on Thursday. That game will end regular season.