Second balls can resolve a recreation. When a group lofts the ball up the sector, possession usually comes right down to who can management the ball after the preliminary aerial duel. For the Michigan males’s soccer group, persistently dropping these second balls affected all features of the sport in its loss in opposition to No. 8 Maryland on Friday.

Defensively, the Wolverines entered the sport planning to power the Terrapins to go it lengthy. They stayed in a mid-block to check the power of Maryland’s protection to go the ball round or over them, fairly than giving up angles to go via that include a excessive press. Early on, the Terrapins had no reply. 

“We withdrew (our stress) to see if their heart backs might break via us.” Michigan coach Chaka Daley stated. “The one factor they might do was hit huge balls, they usually couldn’t get across the nook.”

Maryland tried to construct out of the again, however this usually ended with Michigan successful the ball simply close to midfield. Senior ahead Inaki Rodriguez intercepted passes and gained the ball off Terrapin gamers quite a few occasions all through the primary half. This paid off within the thirty second minute when Rodriguez intercepted a go and drove ahead, ending with ease.

Nevertheless, issues started to alter within the second half. Maryland began hitting the ball lengthy and successful the knockdowns. Terrapins ahead Stefan Copetti admirably contesting aerial duels, both successful the ball himself or forcing an errant header from a Wolverine defender. Copetti’s fellow ahead Joshua Bolma was usually quickest to the second ball, giving him possession excessive up the sector and with area to both drive on the protection or recycle the ball for a greater alternative. 

“(Maryland) was a little bit bit extra direct (within the second half), they usually put us on the again foot.” Daley stated. “They had been choosing up seconds, they usually had us a little bit flustered.”

The stress from successful second balls created a flurry of photographs proper initially of the second half for the Terrapins. Eleven of their 15 photographs got here within the second half, they usually took the lead with a purpose within the 67th minute. The purpose got here following a goalkeeping error, nevertheless it was the results of the sustained stress that got here from successful second balls. 

The flexibility to win the second ball additionally allowed Maryland to play it lengthy whereas nonetheless sustaining possession. This lowered the frequency of turnovers within the again and restricted Michigan’s potential to create offense from its defensive stress. 

The Wolverines then resorted to hitting lengthy balls themselves — hoping to win the second ball to create offense of their very own. They often had been profitable, however once they did win the second ball, they struggled to take care of composure and discover the following finest go. 

“We weren’t as assured on the ball.” Daley stated. “We picked up seconds however then gave them away too rapidly.”

In a decent recreation, dropping the second ball on protection and failing to capitalize on offense restricted Michigan, giving the Terrapins a detailed victory.

However with a number of tweaks to defensive positioning and enchancment on the passes after successful a second ball, the Wolverines can compete with anybody prime Huge Ten opponents. They proved as a lot in opposition to Maryland.

“I really feel happy with the group, happy with their effort, their starvation.” Daley stated. “We simply have to remain constructive and transfer in the correct course.”

As Michigan strikes in direction of successful in opposition to the perfect, second ball victories might be a part of the journey.