When only one goal is scored in a soccer match, the story often comes down to what didn’t happen, as opposed to what did.
That was the case last Thursday night when the Spartan girls soccer team fell 1-0 to the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings.
“These are the tough games to lose,” Solon head coach Amanda Paulson said. “It’s not an effort issue. It’s a game that’s won or lost through moments.”
With eight minutes to go before halftime, the weather bred the first moment. A whipping wind that turned corner flags into inflatable men added 50 feet on the end of every pass. That turned an ordinary midfield through ball into a perfectly weighted pass on goal.
Vinton-Shellsburg forward Camden Erhardt and Solon defender Delainey Durr raced toward the ball. But while Durr won the footrace and shielded the ball, Spartan goalkeeper Audrey Heineman never left her line. The miscommunication allowed Erhardt to poke the ball away from Durr and score.
“There was a little miscommunication on that one, but usually we can read each other pretty well,” Heineman said.
Solon didn’t have to wait long for their next major opportunity. The Spartans controlled possession after the goal and pushed into Vikings territory. Then, a shot into a congested group of defenders netted Solon a handball and a penalty kick.
Solon’s leading scorer Sophia Link stepped up to the spot, wearing the black and white captain’s armband. She ran up to the ball and hooked it wide left. Had it been on net, it would have been buried in the top corner. Instead, Solon went into halftime still trailing 1-0.
“No matter how you look over 80 minutes, it’s those moments that you need to lock in on,” Paulson said.
While the second half became more of a stalemate, Solon still strung together a handful of chances. Senior Sofia Ortega was routinely able to beat her defender in a footrace, but each time, Solon’s attack fizzled out in the final third.
“We were just talking about some of us needing to be a little more selfish when we’re right close to the goal,” Ortega said.
The final opportunity came with 30 seconds left. As the Spartans surged forward on one final push, both Link and Ortega never found a window to shoot. The ball fell to the foot of freshman Teagan Zearley, but her shot rose above the crossbar and went out of play. Vinton-Shellsburg ran out the clock and secured the 1-0 win.
The loss dropped the Spartans to 3-2-1 on the year, their second game in a row without scoring.
“The final piece is just finding a way to connect between those three central players and our players up top,” Paulson said.
The week opened with a 0-0 tie against Independence Tuesday, April 21 with three saves by keeper Audrey Heineman.
Once the girls teams had cleared off the field, a scramble ensued to get the boys’ game in before the thunderstorms hit. Shortened warmups, shortened introductions, shortened halftime. Ten minute breaks turned into eight or five when possible.
But the teams were able to play the full 80 minutes in a 1-1 draw defined by more near misses.
“Our motto all year [has been] grit,” head coach Noah Sigwarth said. “Playing with sustained passion and perseverance over time.”
Solon’s grit was tested early. Vinton-Shellsburg’s Cal Lessig scored in the opening minutes, putting the Spartans on the back foot.
After dominating possession, Solon broke through ten minutes before halftime. Midfielder Tucker Spence set up forward Ethan Ulch in the 18-yard box, and he tapped a ball past the Viking goalkeeper to tie the game.
In the second half, although sheet lightning danced across the cobalt blue clouds to the north and east, the game continued on. Solon continued to control the pace of play but never found the breakthrough.
Every shot seemed to fly above, to the side, or right at the Vinton-Shellsburg defense.
“We might toss a couple balls out on the six yard marker and just practice putting them in the back of the net,” Sigwarth said.
The boys team was back in action on Saturday against Muscatine and Central DeWitt playing out a 3-1 win over the Sabers and another 1-1 draw, against the Muskies.