CARBONDALE – It was simply an exhibition match, to make sure, however there was quite a bit for first-year SIU ladies’s soccer coach Craig Roberts to love Sunday.
Most significantly, there was the rating.
It was an enormous deal despite the fact that the stats don’t formally depend till the Salukis’ season opener Thursday evening towards Division I newcomer Lindenwood. SIU managed nearly all however the first 5-10 minutes of play, scored within the twenty ninth minute and located the proper stability between attacking and defending over the third of three 30-minute intervals.
Contemplating the regal canines have not gained a daily season match since 2019 – their first season – any victory is a large feat.
A clear sheet is even greater.
“We needed to construct on the final recreation’s efficiency and I believe the group undoubtedly did that,” Roberts mentioned. “We performed in a optimistic method and took the sport to the opponent versus sitting again and giving the opponent an excessive amount of credit score.
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“It was an amazing step ahead. Now it’s not precisely the place I might need it to be, however we made strides and we have to proceed to work. We simply should preserve specializing in what we have now to do to be able to transfer ahead.”
The one Saluki marker got here simply earlier than time expired within the first interval. Senior Kaitlin DuCharme acquired to a free ball in a scramble within the 18-yard field and headed it previous goalie Kendall Ellis.
DuCharme mentioned Paris Walsh’s free kick was the important thing to the play.
“She’s an amazing free kick-taker, so we loaded the field and I acquired to the ball,” DuCharme mentioned. “I knew the goalie was coming, however she was far sufficient away so all I needed to do was flick it over her head.
“Each follow, each recreation, we’re enhancing. We’re undoubtedly getting into the proper course and it feels good to get a shutout. Our again line was undoubtedly strong. We’ve been engaged on going ahead extra, so this was a productive day.”
Indianapolis is an effective Division II program that went 11-4-3 final yr and superior to the second spherical of the NCAA Match, but it surely couldn’t mount a lot of an assault. SIU maintained its defensive form properly sufficient in order that there wasn’t a lot work for goalie Ary Lougher.
Apart from a few early photographs that weren’t on body, Lougher was solely wanted on a direct kick late within the second interval. She got here out at exactly the proper time, leaping to assert the ball earlier than a Greyhound might take into consideration attacking it.
The Salukis might have had a second purpose within the thirty sixth minute, however goalie Jenna Taghikhani got here up with a point-blank save from the proper facet of the 18-yard field. SIU authored a spate of first rate counters over the ultimate 50 minutes, though it couldn’t end any of these alternatives.
Nonetheless, Roberts noticed the progress he needed from his squad after a 2-0 loss Thursday towards NCCAA opponent Indiana Wesleyan.
“On this program, it’s unfamiliar territory for us to win,” he mentioned. “So we’re studying to shut out video games. We had been capable of rotate defenders again there. The exhibitions are about discovering out strengths and weaknesses, so we uncovered ourselves. I assumed our again line did properly and I used to be pleased with the consistency.”