Kent falls to Hudson, 3-0

Kent lost a tough one to Hudson 3-0. From the outset, it was hard to ever control the ball for even a short period of time. It seemed every time Roosevelt got the ball, there were three Hudson players ready to strip the ball from her. Their passing on offense was enviable, for sure. Their offensive scheme, which was to effectively drew the double team and just in time, pass to the open man, worked very well. It seemed the ball was on Roosevelt's half nearly the entire game. Bradford did what she could, but in the end, faced some tough one-on-ones and, unfortunately, you're gonna lose some of those.

Mitchell got on his team at halftime about chasing the ball, being more aggressive. He cycled in and out players who normally sit on the bench, presumably to bring in fresh legs, though he may have also known the game was a lost cause, and was giving his "next generation" some playing time. Libby Bradford (yet another one) impressed on left attack with some nice runs down the side and a few nice shots. Hannah Sampson had a great game, not being afraid to be physical, and ensuring passes were put in the right place.

One spot of weakness, immediately seen, was the Roosevelt right side of the field. Hudson was able to beat our players on many occasions and dribble into the box with relative ease. Roosevelt defense needs to work on stepping in on dribbles and trying to disrupt the attack plan. Too often were the defense allowing Hudson to own the lane.

One bright spot was that we only allowed three goals. The defense stayed mostly solid through the game. For a team that had about a billion shots on goal, the fact that only three went in is a testament not to just to Bradford's skill, but also the defense's resilience. Offense, well, we've had troubles all season here. We are really improving our ventures down the field, but Mitchell should work the team on crosses from the corners into the box. While the crosses may land in the box, scorers in the box are getting beat on positioning, ending up behind the defense who has an easy clear out.

Game's like this are good. They reveal hidden weaknesses that are sometimes not so evident when you play teams like Southeast or Field. They also build our skill level. To have seen skill like this not just in the Hudson game, but in the Cloverleaf before that, will build our talent level, as well as give us an idea what we might face in the second or third round of the playoffs. This is what non-conference games are meant to do for a team. Mitchell knew that in the beginning.

The Ravenna game has been rescheduled for Wednesday at 5:00 (JV) and 7:00 (V). Be there to see the Riders take on the rival Ravens!! This game has enormous implications for the league title. If Roosevelt can get this one, and they should, (Ravenna lost previously to Cresty 3-0), the league should be wrapped up in a pretty pink bow. I like pretty pink bows. Let's get it! Respect this house!!