Lions drop three; rebound for a win

The Clear Lake boys soccer team had a busy and challenging week.  The Lions dropped their first three matches, but rebounded to finish the week with a win.

W-SR 6, CL 0

Tuesday April 18, the Lions played host to the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks.

“Typically WSR is a very dominate soccer club, so they are a great contest when we decided to compete,” said Clear Lake Coach Matt Anderson.  “This year we choose not to compete.”

The Lions found themselves down 6-0 at halftime.  Halftime adjustments consisted of a new formation and the entire bench starting in place of the regular starters.

Ten minutes into the second half the Lions had not given up an additional goals.

“I was very pleased with the desire shown by the group who started the second half.  It was clear they wanted to compete and give everything they had,” said Coach Anderson.  “I was pleased with our overall effort in the second half.  We need to find a way to compete for an entire contest instead of here and there.”

Webster City 4, CL 3

Webster City came to town Thursday, April 20.

The Lions began the match with good intensity and controlled the ball.  After a few quality shots on their goal, Webster City landed the first score of the match on a long ball played from their goal keeper.  Two minutes later Webster City gathered up a loose ball in front of the Lions’ goal and recorded their second goal for a 2-0 lead at halftime.

“Halftime adjustments were minimal, as we were playing well but were coming up short on finding the net,” explained Coach Anderson.

Sam Pedelty was first to respond with a long ball shot on goal for the Lions.  Cody Matz tied the contest 2-2 when he gathered up a loose ball in front of the Webster City goal keeper.

The Lions appeared to have all the momentum and control of the contest as time expired with the score 2-2.  After two overtime periods, the contest went to a shootout, with Webster City netting four goals to the Lions’ three.

“This was our most complete match played this season,” said the coach.  “Webster City got both their goals in a two and one-half minute window.  Outside of this short lapse in our play, we were ready, we completed and we fought hard to get the two goals in the second half.  Other than coming up just short of the victory there was not much to be disappointed about.”

Boone Tournament

Saturday, April 22, the Lions traveled to the Boone Soccer Tournament.  Their first match of the day was against a very thin Boone team.

The Lions spotted Boone a goal in the first half off a misplayed ball, which ended up directly in front of Clear Lake’s goal net.  Boone held a 1-0 advantage going into the second half of the match.

Seventeen minutes into the second half Aaron Canchola crossed a ball into the goalie box where Torian Lee finished the assist for a goal.  The match ended 1-1.

In tournament play there is no overtime and the match went straight to a shoot out.  Boone won the shootout 5-4.

“This is a match I would love to have a do over on,” said Coach Anderson.  “The halves were only 30 minutes instead of the standard 40 due to tournament play and there was no 10 minute overtime periods prior to the shoot out.  Once we decided to play, the contest was very one-sided in our favor.  Unfortunately, in soccer if you dig yourself a hole it’s not easy to climb out of and this time it bit us.

Clear Lake’s second match was against Des Moines North.

The Lions’ first goal was set up off a double assist.  Sean Wendel crossed the ball into the keeper box where Torian Lee completed the header to Mordecai Nsabaah who finished the goal.  The Lions took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Fourteen minutes into the second half, Sam Badger crossed the ball into the goalie box where Jacob Petersen took a shot on goal which was saved by the Des Moines North keeper, but deflected back onto the field.  Aaron Canchola gathered up the loose ball and finished it for a goal.  The match ended 2-0.

“I was very pleased with the team’s desire to complete and our communication.  These have been primary emphasis at practice and games and we appeared to take a step in the right direction during this match,” said Anderson.