11/27/2021 Bellevue vs Mount Si 9-14-21BHS 0-1 Mt. Si
a "Don't let success go to your head, and don't let failure go to your heart." Timothy Keller a Our last varsity loss was in late November 2019 in the 3A state championship game. It's been a long time. But disappointing defeats are as much a part of soccer as the joys of winning; and much more instructive. So although I would've preferred a victory against the Wildcats tonight, we'll make sure to make adjustments and refocus so that we're ready for Kingco league play against a strong Juanita team on Thursday. a The game began with both teams testing each other in the typically frenetic first moments. The Wildcats have had a terrific start to their season, including a recent 4-2 victory against Mercer Island on Saturday, so we were prepared for a competitive match. And it was. Challenges were strong, space was tight, and passes had to be quick and decisive. Yet before the game was even 5 minutes old, Mt. Si sent a speculative ball over our backline, our defenders were in good positions, with cover, but too deferential (and too quiet) and a silent miscommunication allowed the speedy Mt. Si forward to nip in and tap into an open net. It happens. But hopefully never more than once. We'll learn and get better, and the next time we are in that situation, we'll improve our communication and clear the danger well before it devolves into an easy opposition goal. a But with 75 minutes left in the game, I wasn't worried. We had plenty of time, and firepower, to turn the game around. I even mentioned to the coaches on the sideline that giving up an early goal would be a good test for our team, exactly what our pre-season games should provide. So we carried on. We pressed. And attacked. Never gave up. And a Bellevue equalizer seemed inevitable even as each minute ticked away...until the final whistle signaled our 0-1 defeat. It just didn't happen for us. Full credit to Mt. Si. They battled all game long. Their keeper was strong and their defense was organized. They competed for every ball and forced us into too many uncharacteristic give-aways. Finally, they cleverly managed the clock at the end to prevent any last-minute heroics and earned their win. a The final statistics show that we created more chances, but not by an overwhelming margin considering the Wildcats were sitting on a narrow lead for most of the game. It was a tight and competitive game; and the type of game that we will need to learn how to win as we enter our league season on Thursday. a This all being said. I love our team. As Tim Keller said, we will not let success go to our head, and we won't let failures go to our heart. And I'm already looking forward to our next opportunity against a tough Juanita team on Thursday. Comments are closed.
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