Playing three games in five days, most teams experience let downs, whether it is emotionally, physically or mentally, in a tough scenario like that.
However, UR’s men’s soccer team is not like most teams.
The Yellowjackets are better, more experienced and able to use lots of guys to compensate for those types of let downs.
Rewind to Sept. 10, which was the start of Yellowjacket Weekend. What better way for the Yellowjackets to kick start a weekend full of Rochester sports than for No. 5-ranked St. Lawrence University to come into Fauver Stadium against a confident, hungry Yellowjacket team.
The result for St. Lawrence was a 2-0 loss in which the cleaner team prevailed. Friday’s game was filled with fouls, yellow cards and a lot of tears.
The Saints were clearly Rochester’s toughest foe of the season thus far.
Rochester came out fired up and took it to SLU early. The match was just over a minute old when a ball came to Junior Gary Stom at the top of the box. His rocket, ticketed for just under the bar, was punched over the bar by St. Lawrence’s goalie Jordan James for a corner kick.
The corner kick was nicely placed to the back post to senior Mike Springer and his open header thudded against the crossbar.
Seven minutes later, Junior Steve Maltzman dummied the ball past a defender on right wing.
Head Coach Chris Apple complemented Maltzman on his toughness. “Steve had a great game, playing injured the entire second half,” Apple said.
Maltzman crossed it to a wide-open Stom in the area and Stom’s right-footed blast for the low right corner was saved brilliantly by James.
Stom earned his revenge before the game was 20 minutes old. He dashed down right wing with the ball and lofted it near the top of the area. It went to Cross, who flicked a header into the low left corner of the goal at 19 minutes and 31 seconds.
Rochester led 1-0 going into halftime.
The second half began with physical play and a lot of complaining about the officiating by SLU.
The Yellowjackets matched the Saints’ physical intensity, proving they were more of an experienced, mature team by letting their game do the talking.
Rochester maintained possession of the ball for most of the second half, limiting St. Lawrence’s scoring opportunities.
With just over 10 minutes to play, the Yellowjackets added a crucial insurance goal.
Stom saved a ball in the left corner and pushed it along the touchline to freshman Matt Sulkin. He lofted it into the box where junior standout Nate Micklos headed it into the low right corner for the goal.
Led by freshman goalie Jack Burgasser, Rochester’s defense carried the Yellowjacket’s to an impressive 2-0 victory, and the third shutout of the season for the team.
The team next plays Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. at Fauver Stadium against Hobart College.
Rovinsky can be reached at mrovinsky@campustimes.org.
