WYANDOTTE — In sports, you always hope that the weather doesn't directly affect the final outcome of the game. However, this is an issue that must be addressed equally by both parties.
It was just Monday, when Gibraltar Carlson and Wyandotte Roosevelt were beginning a Downriver League women's soccer battle, during an April shower. A light but steady wind was blowing, but the rain began shortly after, starting within minutes of the game and continuing until the final horn, creating less-than-ideal playing conditions.
“In weather like this, you never know where the ball is going to go,” Roosevelt head coach Kirsten Rosell said. “You can't prepare for that, but you can control your reaction to it: whether you try to get back on defense or sprint to cover and help your teammates.”
Both teams on Monday certainly experienced some of the challenges Rosell alluded to throughout the game. But even through the rain, her Bears found a way to shine and earn the program a win.
Led by two first-half goals, Roosevelt shut out Carlson with a final score of 3-0, giving the school its first win over the Marauders.
Photo Gallery: Women's Soccer – Gibraltar Carlson vs. Wyandotte Roosevelt
And while the goal was rather indicative of the overall weather, albeit a little sloppy, what pleased Rosell most was the pressure Roosevelt created to put themselves in scoring position.
“I feel like we've been talking about it all season,” Rozell said. “It was being able to finish and put the ball in the back of the net. Tonight we had even more of that intensity throughout the game and I'm very proud of being in the right place at the right time.”
“Overall, I think we tried harder as a team in this game, which was good to see.”
Not only is it the first time Roosevelt has beaten Carlson in 10 tries, but it's also the first time he's scored a goal in the all-time series. The Bears were 0-7-2 in their first nine meetings with the Marauders dating back to the 2015 season, the program's first year.
And although they were rather hampered by it, with the wind at their back in the first half, the hosts were probably able to use the weather to their advantage early on. This gave him twice as much online attention in his first 20 minutes or so of the contest.
This included consecutive corner kick attempts in the 18th minute. The second of those shots put the ball in the net, and with bodies flying up front, Ariana Hernandez was able to score Roosevelt's first goal against Carlson, slipping past Marauders goalie Katie Froman for an early one. They led by -0.
The Bears' next shot on goal came late in the second half with just over six minutes remaining before intermission. However, they counted the ball kicked by Yves Uresti as having dribbled into the back of the net, combined with a slip caused by the weather and a possible misplay by Fromman.
Roosevelt entered halftime with that two-point lead. Both teams swapped sides, but the field tilted in the same direction, this time in Karlsson's favor.
With the rain falling, and perhaps with the wind in their favor, the Marauders began to control more possession and create some scoring chances. In fact, they finished the game with more shots on goal than Roosevelt (11-8), but Bears netminder Bianca Hawthorne stopped every shot she needed.
The local team wrapped up the scoring with just over 13 minutes left in regulation time, scoring again on a corner kick in heavy traffic up front. In the end, the goal went to Ewa Michnicki.
President Roosevelt's three scores on Monday had one thing in common. It was about making things happen in front of the internet. That's something Rozelle has preached to his team early in the season, he said, but he's done it in a calm manner.
“They were able to maintain their composure in that moment,” Rossell said. “That's another area we've worked on, being calm in front of the net. We've had bodies that are really committed there, but we're not afraid in front of the net.” It was.”
With Monday's result, Roosevelt already has seven wins on the season, with at least seven more games remaining. This is one win away from the program's current best eight, which was set one season ago in Roselle's first year as coach.
The former 2014 graduate standout at Riverview Community High School talked about some of this year's Bears team's in-season growth and how it will continue to develop into the second half of the year, when the unofficial spring season begins soon. We talked about.
“I definitely feel like we've grown in our efforts to get to the ball first and make the right passes,” Rozell said. “Right now I want them to not only see the right pass, but to pass it faster. It's about getting the ball off our feet faster and getting it off the ball in the right place. We guarantee that we will reach.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing us bond as a team and build even more.”
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Both teams will complete the first portion of their Downriver League schedules later this week.
Carlson (3-7-2, 2-3-2 DRL) will face another tough test when he continues his road trip and visits Brownstown-Woodhaven on May 1 (6 p.m.) . The Marauders will be looking to do what President Roosevelt did to them on Monday, as they are winless in their last 20 tries against the Warriors dating back to the 2012 season.
Meanwhile, Roosevelt (7-7, 4-3 DRL) returned to action the following day on May 2nd, and although they received a bye in Monday's league game, they will head into Allen Park on a three-game winning streak. We will welcome you home. Conference games in general.
