For the RPI men’s soccer team, this past week can be summed up quite well with one word: frustrating. The Red Hawks seemingly beat themselves in two games versus Manhattanville and New Paltz, adding two notches to the loss column. They were able to hang tough, however, and salvage a win at the end of the week over Potsdam.
Trouble started when there was a mistake on a clearance which allowed the Valiants to jump on a loose ball and put it into the right corner of the goal, and RPI was down 1-0 early to Manhattanville. Less than 10 minutes later, it got worse with a miscommunication between a Red Hawk defender and the goalie, which resulted in the ball finding it’s way into Rensselaer’s own net from 25 yards out. Just like that, Manhattanville was handed a 2-0 advantage rather easily.
RPI did all they could to mount a comeback in the second half, and they played well enough to have a chance. The Red Hawks outplayed Manhattanville in virtually every facet of the game territorially and physically, pinning their opponents in their own backfield for the majority of play. Even with such dominance, Rensselaer was just unable to finish or even get an ounce of luck.
The Red Hawks out-shot their opponent 21-2 over the course of the game; including no shots by the Valiants in the entire second half. RPI, however, was unable to capitalize on any chances of their own.
“We played well; we were just unable to finish, and that kind of worries me, because we are creating chances. Sooner or later we just have to put them in,” commented Head Coach Adam Clinton on his team’s play.
When RPI returned to action against New Paltz, their woes continued. Ironically, the same situation in which Rensselaer scored on their own goal versus Manhattanville happened again on that night. Once again, the Red Hawks were behind in the early going, and the score would stay that way, 1-0, going into the break.
In the second half, RPI tied it up when sophomore Mike Henzel drew out the goalie and put the ball into the right side of the empty net. Another Red Hawk mistake, however, gave the ball back to New Paltz at midfield, and Hawks senior Brian Siergiez made them pay—blasting a shot into the far right corner of the net.
The momentum shifted back to RPI, courtesy of sophomore Tim Wisner whose goal tied the game back up at two. But one final turnover cost the Red Hawks the game as New Paltz senior Joseph Fabian netted the game winner in the 82nd minute. “Their two goals were good, but they were caused by our mental mistakes,” said Clinton.
Despite the two losses, the Red Hawks bounced back to beat Potsdam on Sunday. Freshman Jabel Prom scored 27 minutes into the game off a pass from Henzel, which would ultimately be all RPI needed for the win. Rensselaer would score once more, though, when Brandon LaFerve added an insurance goal, putting it past the left side of the goalie.
“The two losses this week were extremely tough and frustrating for us,” said Clinton. Losses were not all that left RPI aching. Beginning on Friday, the men had no injuries. On Saturday, they had seven to eight, with 16 players hitting the trainer’s room before Sunday’s game.
“We still need to improve and learn, but we’re young, and this is tactical stuff we can work out in practice,” said Clinton. He added, “We will eliminate the mistakes and whatever else we need to, and get back to the team that I think we can be.”
With a few days of rest this week, the Red Hawks will try to heal up and work out some kinks as they look to the future. RPI, whose record now stands at 3-2, returns to action on Saturday at home when they take on Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
