Sunday, September 1
Carbondale, Ill.
1 PM
Southern Illinois University
3-1-0, 0-0-0
0
vs
2
IUPUI
1-1-1, 0-0-0
1
2
F
IUPUI
1
1
2
Southern Ill.
0
0
0
Salukis Shut Down by Jaguars
09/01/2019 | 3:54:00 | Women's Soccer
CARBONDALE, Ill. – In the final leg of a five-game home stand, the Southern Illinois University Salukis (3-2 overall) fell short to the IUPUI Jaguars (2-1) by a score of 2-0 on Sunday afternoon.
The Jaguars were on the offensive throughout the first half, scoring their first goal in the match's 35thminute by way of Valentine Pursey, her second of the season. The remainder of the first half stayed quiet while the Salukis were trying to get the offense in rhythm.
In the 81stminute, IUPUI connected on their second goal by way of Miranda Ricks, her first of the year, to seal the victory for the Jaguars at 2-0.
SIU was outshot by IUPUI 18-15, with three of the Salukis shots coming on goal. Freshmen goalkeepers Sofia Howe and Dariana Mihalache split time in goal, with Howe collecting three saves in the first half and Mihalache recording five in the second to give her 18 on the season.
Head coach Grant Williams' postgame comments
On what improvements the team needs to be made before next game:
I need to take responsibility for not getting a result today. We conceded in the first half. I had made too many changes. The kids I made changes with didn't affect the game in a positive way. I was trying to be aware of the fact that it was hot and a Sunday game. We had managed those situations better up to this point and we just didn't today. In the second half, I shortened the bench and I think we did basically everything but score. Any team is going to have chances, but I think overall, we had more run of play. As I told our kids when we got done that all of that was my fault. We'll shorten the bench to get the kids in who I feel like can get us a result over the period of a game going forward.
On the physicality of the game affecting the offensive flow:
I think on a lot of our fouls we gave away were silly defensive fouls. We were defending in those moments so it wouldn't really interrupt our attacking offensive play. If our forwards are working hard and trying to limit the other team from building out of the back and we give a foul or two away there, I encourage that. We want to defend higher up the field to cause turnovers and not let teams play the field position game. For me, it's really some of those silly fouls where you take a player who's not in a dangerous position or a dangerous space and now you've just made them dangerous because you gave a foul away where they can put the ball in the box.
On Dariana Mihalache:
When she's on the field, I think you see the best of her. She's still trying to figure out how to just be a student-athlete and have good time management skills. I think until she gets the non-soccer part figured out, then we will start to see the best of her. We are still in a situation where we are still trying to figure out who's going to be our starting goalkeeper. They're going to have to do more than just on gameday to show that they can have a positive influence.
On the upcoming road trip:
We continue to have some issues with just covering our center backs and I think that's just inexperience with how to handle and communicate. We'll be working on that. In particular, Ohio University is an athletic team and they can stretch the field and will try to find spaces behind us. That will be a focus for us tonight. We'll have to talk a little bit about surface when we go to Fort Wayne because they play on a grass surface, which will be slower. It's just going to be a different setup than what they've seen. In some regards, when you leave campus to go on the road, there's less distractions because when you're on the road, you're on the road. You have to demonstrate that you can be competitive on the road and win on the road so I'm looking forward to that challenge.
Up Next: The Salukis will leave the confinements of home for a three-game road trip with stops against IPFW (Sept. 6), Ohio (Sept. 8) and Western Kentucky (Sept. 13). Check back to SIUSalukis.com for more details on how to follow the Salukis on the road.
The Jaguars were on the offensive throughout the first half, scoring their first goal in the match's 35thminute by way of Valentine Pursey, her second of the season. The remainder of the first half stayed quiet while the Salukis were trying to get the offense in rhythm.
In the 81stminute, IUPUI connected on their second goal by way of Miranda Ricks, her first of the year, to seal the victory for the Jaguars at 2-0.
SIU was outshot by IUPUI 18-15, with three of the Salukis shots coming on goal. Freshmen goalkeepers Sofia Howe and Dariana Mihalache split time in goal, with Howe collecting three saves in the first half and Mihalache recording five in the second to give her 18 on the season.
Head coach Grant Williams' postgame comments
On what improvements the team needs to be made before next game:
I need to take responsibility for not getting a result today. We conceded in the first half. I had made too many changes. The kids I made changes with didn't affect the game in a positive way. I was trying to be aware of the fact that it was hot and a Sunday game. We had managed those situations better up to this point and we just didn't today. In the second half, I shortened the bench and I think we did basically everything but score. Any team is going to have chances, but I think overall, we had more run of play. As I told our kids when we got done that all of that was my fault. We'll shorten the bench to get the kids in who I feel like can get us a result over the period of a game going forward.
On the physicality of the game affecting the offensive flow:
I think on a lot of our fouls we gave away were silly defensive fouls. We were defending in those moments so it wouldn't really interrupt our attacking offensive play. If our forwards are working hard and trying to limit the other team from building out of the back and we give a foul or two away there, I encourage that. We want to defend higher up the field to cause turnovers and not let teams play the field position game. For me, it's really some of those silly fouls where you take a player who's not in a dangerous position or a dangerous space and now you've just made them dangerous because you gave a foul away where they can put the ball in the box.
On Dariana Mihalache:
When she's on the field, I think you see the best of her. She's still trying to figure out how to just be a student-athlete and have good time management skills. I think until she gets the non-soccer part figured out, then we will start to see the best of her. We are still in a situation where we are still trying to figure out who's going to be our starting goalkeeper. They're going to have to do more than just on gameday to show that they can have a positive influence.
On the upcoming road trip:
We continue to have some issues with just covering our center backs and I think that's just inexperience with how to handle and communicate. We'll be working on that. In particular, Ohio University is an athletic team and they can stretch the field and will try to find spaces behind us. That will be a focus for us tonight. We'll have to talk a little bit about surface when we go to Fort Wayne because they play on a grass surface, which will be slower. It's just going to be a different setup than what they've seen. In some regards, when you leave campus to go on the road, there's less distractions because when you're on the road, you're on the road. You have to demonstrate that you can be competitive on the road and win on the road so I'm looking forward to that challenge.
Up Next: The Salukis will leave the confinements of home for a three-game road trip with stops against IPFW (Sept. 6), Ohio (Sept. 8) and Western Kentucky (Sept. 13). Check back to SIUSalukis.com for more details on how to follow the Salukis on the road.
Team Stats
IUP
SIU
Goals
2
0
Shots
18
15
Shots on Goal
10
3
Saves
3
8
Corners
4
6
Fouls
11
18
Scoring Plays
Valentine Pursey (1)
Assisted By: Miranda Ricks
GOAL by IUP Pursey, Valentine Assist by Ricks, Miranda.
35:27
Miranda Ricks (1)
GOAL by IUP Ricks, Miranda.
81:10
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
4
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
GK
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