Troy City WFC begin MPSL play with a 7-0 loss to the Michigan Jaguars (1-0)
As the TC faithful gathered outside on a sunny day in Commerce Township, they would find out that the sun was not shining on Troy City WFC (0-1) Thursday afternoon, as they would begin MPSL play with a 7-0 loss to the Michigan Jaguars (1-0).
Troy City was joined by some new faces, as some of the younger players had finished up with their high school seasons before joining the semi-pro squad. Many players were introducing themselves to one another prior to the match starting.
The Jags would get started early, as it only took 19 minutes to find themselves up 2-0. They found lots of opportunities playing the ball through the middle, as well as scoring off set-pieces using the tall frame of Leila Lanier (Detroit Mercy).
As players subbed off the field, there was communication amongst the bench about the midfield not playing their diamond tight enough, which allowed for the other team to move the ball without any discomfort. This is a point that Head Coach John Arndt has harped on a lot this season, as the midfielders are very important to the way that Troy City wants to play. If they’re not in position, the whole formation falls apart.
With this communication, momentum started to build for Troy, as they would start to create counterattacks midway through the first half and not look back. There were plenty of opportunities that Reese Carmody (Ferris State) would look to capitalize on, the first being a shot across the box that would hit the opposite woodwork before bouncing away, and the next being a goal that was called offside in the 35th minute.
There was more enthusiasm from the bench as they looked to continually create opportunities and possessions for themselves, with the back line holding strong whenever the ball came their way. Going into halftime, being down by only 2 seemed like there was promise for the goals to start coming.
Then, in the words of Arndt, “The wheels fell off.”
After lots of good input from the coach and players about how every position group could step up, it took less than 2 minutes for the Michigan Jaguars to score their third goal. By minute 55, the Jags scored 2 more through good passes and open looks to give themselves a 5-goal lead.
The 5th goal was scored on a wicked shot from roughly 35 yards out, and that was enough to deflate Troy City for the rest of the game.
The home team would continue to move the ball with ease through the middle of the field, which consistently put pressure on the back line to be guarding the ball within the box on many occasions. There were chances where Kayla Butki (Clarkston HS) made some good drives and passes down the stretch, but to no avail.
The lack of communication would also prove to be a factor, as there were chances when the defense would shift, but there was no effort to make sure that each mark was covered as the ball crossed the middle third. There were also opportunities on set-pieces where some Troy players were left unmarked, but nothing was said to alert the kicker of the open pass.
“It’s frustrating,” said Coach Arndt. “We had things figured out the last 20 minutes of the 1st half, and things just fell apart in the 2nd half. I think getting new people into these game situations and not knowing how to play with each other is really throwing a wrench in things.”
Despite that, John Arndt pleaded with his players to not be frustrated after the game, saying that there will be time to figure things out, and took responsibility for the loss. He mentioned talking to the captains and figuring out better ways for this team to score and work more cohesively, but the effort is there as a whole.
Arndt added in my postgame conversation, “We thought we had two goals in the first half, and once those shots start to go in, things start to become easier, so we just have to find the back of the net.”
Troy City WFC won’t have any time to be frustrated, as they will turn around and play the Michigan Jaguars’ UWS team on Sunday at Evolution Sportsplex, 8pm Kickoff. Their UWS team is said to have better players and play more competitively, which could prove to be a challenge for the Troy women.
You can follow Garrett Pog on X and Instagram @itsGarrettPog. You can contact him at garrettpog@gmail.com for any inquiries.
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