By Jack Walker
The Grand Rapids Community College men’s soccer team took on Owens Community College Saturday afternoon in an evenly played match that saw both teams score only one goal, resulting in a tie. The Raiders are still searching for their first win of the season after going 13-4-1 in their inaugural season last year.
After starting the season with three-straight losses, the Raiders were looking for something to break out of their slump, and while a tie is not the preferred way of doing so, the team will take what they can get at this point of the season. The schedule is on their side however, with the Raiders still having seven home games to five road games, three of which are in a row between Sept. 21 and Sept. 28.
Second-year head Coach Damiekco Smith commented on whether the tie could be used as a stepping stone for more success later in the season, “It could, but not sure it will,” Smith said. “We are still working out the bugs related to the chemistry on this team.”
In the first half it was all GRCC, out-shooting Owens 10-2, and leading 1-0 at halftime, thanks to a header by sophomore defender Cole Drozdowski, assisted by sophomore forward Elijah Maas. The defense was rock-solid for the Raiders in the first half, sophomore goalkeeper Brett Miller did not need to make a save to hold Owens to zero goals.
The second half is where Owens started to play catchup to GRCC, holding the Raiders to zero shots on targets while recording three of their own. Unfortunately for the Raiders, of those three shots on target, one saw the back of the net in the 90th minute right at the end of the game. Leveling the score at one a piece, which is where things would stand for the remainder of the game.
Smith spoke on whether he felt the Raiders were the better team or if the score line reflected accurately, “You have to go by the score,” he said. ”Nothing else matters.”
The story of the game for GRCC will be more late-goal dramatics the team has conceded. Against Aquinas, GRCC led 2-1, and conceded goals in the 79th and 80th minute. Against St Clair County, GRCC was level 1-1, and conceded in the 90th minute. Finally, against Owens, GRCC led 1-0, and conceded in the 90th minute, equaling the game at 1-1.
“Not conceding late goals, simple as that,” said Smith, noting that GRCC needs to work on their late-game defense.
After moving to 0-3-1 on the season, GRCC will take on Jackson College for the next match, on Wednesday Sept. 11 at the Midwest United Complex in Kentwood.
GRCC saw Jackson in action twice last season, winning both games and scoring a total of 10 goals in those two matches. When Smith was asked what the team needs to do in order to continue last year’s trend of scoring, he kept it simple.
“We have to actually shoot the ball,” he said”
