Somerset soccer looking to recapture its spark

• Natalie Moses

Somerset goalkeeper Natalie Moses boots the ball upfield during a recent Spartan game.

Talk about it

There has been definite improvement in the play of the Somerset girls soccer team this season.

But to become consistent winners, the Spartans need to bring their A-game every game.

That wasn’t the case when the Spartans played at Barron last Tuesday. Without a top effort, the Spartans ended up suffering a 2-1 loss to the Bears.

Somerset coach Erin Wilson was hoping this would be the day the Spartans earned their first Middle Border Conference win. Instead, their record dropped to 0-5-1. Wilson said the Spartans need better intensity, which they have shown at times during the season.

“It’s the wanting, the energy. In the New Richmond game we had the energy. We need that every game,” Wilson said.

The Spartans have made distinct progress. After suffering 10-0 and 7-0 losses the Spartans have improved to the point where they are competitive in every game. The next step for the Spartans is to find ways to come out on top in those close contests.

Wilson said there are ways the Spartans can do this. One way is on defense. Several of the goals the Spartans have given up in recent games have come from letting the ball linger within their goal box, instead of making a strong kick to clear the ball out of trouble.

That leads into another area Wilson sees the possibility for improvement. She is looking for the team to transition from defense to offense more quickly and with a more unified movement.

The Spartans’ only goal against Barron came that way. Barron scored first, but the Spartans answered later in the first half. Hanna Barritt got the goal on a shot she snapped from 20 yards out, completing a quick transition to offense team-wide.

Barron’s Kaitlyn Church, who has been one of the leading scorers in the conference, got the only goal of the second half.

The Spartans start the second half of the MBC season this Thursday at Osceola. They’ll also be on the road next Tuesday, playing at Hayward. Wilson predicts better things will happen for the Spartans in the second round of conference play.

“If we can get a positive mentality, we could be a very different team for everyone to see,” Wilson said.

Tags: sports, somerset, spartans, soccer, prep