Exhausted Eagles Run Out of Steam Against Persistent Barclay Squad

The Emmaus men's soccer team travelled to Manhattan, Kansas on Friday for their second road double header in two weeks. Their Friday afternoon opponent was the conference rival Barclay Bears from Haviland, Kansas.

The first 40 minutes of the match was all Eagles as they controlled possession and created multiple scoring opportunities. Midfielder Caron McBain (#11) saw his long range effort strike off the crossbar in the 12th minute and teammate Mason McCarl (#7) blasted a shot off of the near post in the 20th minute. The Eagles were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 28th minute when Neal Johnson (#4) won a bouncing ball in the box and fed teammate McCarl who scored from close range.

With time ticking down in the first half the Eagles looked to add to their lead, but a mistake in the back allowed a Barclay player to win the end line and fire a dangerous cross to the back post where senior Mason Wang (#2) tapped it in a shot from close range.  The two teams entered halftime tied at a goal apiece despite Emmaus outshooting the Bears by a staggering 20 to 3.

"We played about as dominant of a first half as a team can and just struggled to find the back of the net despite some great chances. I told the guys at halftime to just keep playing the way they had been and to focus on keeping their shots on frame." (Coach Brown)

The second half was a different story entirely. Barclay, seemingly rejuvenated by their late first half goal, managed to put some pressure on the Emmaus back line. To make matters worse, Eagle All Conference center back Elijah Barsness had to leave the match early with a sprained ankle. Already playing with a small roster, the Eagles were forced to make some adjustments in the lineup. Center back Jake Taylor summed up the impact of Barsness's absence, "It really changed the flow of the game and was a good reminder of the importance of each role on the team."

Still, despite some adjustments, the Eagles managed to re-take the lead in the 55th minute when Mason McCarl drew a foul in the Bears box. Caron McBain calmly stepped up and buried the penalty kick for a 2-1 lead.

The lead did not last, however, as a miscommunication in the back line allowed a Barclay forward (#9) to win just enough space to fire a great show into the lower left corner. With the game tied, the Eagles again looked to regain the lead, but this time it was Barclay's turn. After winning a corner, a Bear player won the second ball and headed the ball behind the Emmaus line to a waiting teammate who headed the ball just under the reach of Eagle keeper, Gabriel Salinas.

"It looked offsides, but the assistant referee didn't see it that way and we have to take the calls that are given." (Coach Brown)

The Eagles continued to fight hard to find an equalizer, but despite a few dangerous changes, neither team was able to capitalize. The game ended with the Barclay Bears prevailing for the third straight year by a single goal over the Eagles.

"Our guys fought so hard today. For long stretches of the game we were the stronger team today, but we just couldn't put the game away. Our guys are exhausted from this tough road stretch, and I as a coach have to take some ownership for scheduling it. The guys gave what they had today, and it just wasn't quite enough. Hats off to the Bears for sticking with it and earning the win. Further, though the loss was disappointing, I was impressed with the way the Bears conducted themselves on the field despite facing some challenges of their own. The culture of this Bears team is different than recent years as the coaches are helping to set a tone of hard play and good sportsmanship. I love to see it from both teams!" (Coach Brown)

The Eagles will be back in action tomorrow against the Thunder of Manhattan Christian College. Kickoff is set for 11:00 AM.