By David Paulsen
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The Union Grove High School boys’ soccer team lost its eighth in a row Tuesday, dropping a 3-1 decision to Racine Case in a non-conference matchup.
“Given that many of our players are open-enrollment students who live in Racine, players on both sides know each other very well and play club together, so the intensity was heightened,” head coach Sean Jung said.
Case scored in the 18th and 32nd minutes of the first half to take a 2-0 lead at the half.
“We’d been doing an excellent job defensively on set pieces, but fell asleep on one corner kick in the first half and after some ping pong we conceded the first goal,” Jung said. “Case gained some momentum and sustained moderate pressure for the remainder of the half, combining nicely on their second goal.”
Jung indicated he made some adjustments at halftime and the Broncos started to hold the ball consistently in the Racine Case end.
“They pulled their starting goalkeeper and moved him to forward, and he scored their third goal only moments after in the 56th minute,” Jung said.
Union Grove continued to attack and finally found the back of the net when Matt Vogel, off an assist from Alfredo Martin, scored in the 74th minute.
Jung noted that soon after that goal his starting centerback Ian Kramer broke his collarbone on what Jung called a “cheap, late challenge.” Kramer is done for the season.
The loss dropped Union Grove to 1-9 overall.
After being frustrated with the team’s performance in recent losses, Jung was pleased with his team’s effort in a 5-1 loss to Lake Geneva Badger Aug. 30.
“The boys worked hard for each other tonight and made no excuses,” Jung said. “I was very pleased despite the score.”
Badger scored just seven minutes into the game, but rather than frustrate the Bronco boys, Jung indicated it seemed to motivate them.
“We played a hard final 30 minutes of the first half, and our keeper Eddie Neubauer made a couple of impressive saves but couldn’t keep a second goal out,” Jung said.
Jung indicated the Broncos played even harder in the second half.
“It was Badger who became frustrated and started to lose some composure,” Jung said.
Nonetheless, Badger made it 3-0 in the 45th minute.
Five minutes later, Union Grove got its sole goal of the game when Alfredo Martin scored.
“Following the goal, some physical play ensued and we began to hold the ball in their end, having the run of play for 15 minutes until conceding an unlucky fourth goal on a counter-attack (67th minute),” Jung added.
Jung indicated the team gave up the final goal in the 69th minute.
The loss dropped the team’s Southern Lakes Conference record to 0-2.
The Bronco boys hosted Delavan-Darien in an SLC matchup Thursday.
On Friday and Saturday, they will participate in the Milton Invitational.
Next week, they will be at Westosha Central for an SLC game on Tuesday, Sept. 11, and will host Wilmot in another SLC matchup on Thursday, Sept. 13, at 6:30 p.m.
-
-
-
-
-