Millbrook boys soccer
Leesville Road senior Wes Atkinson tries to deflect the ball upfield during Monday night's 2-0 loss to Millbrook. It was the Wildcats' second-straight shutout.
Millbrook shuts out Pride Monday
Following his team's 2-0 loss to Millbrook Monday night, Leesville Road head coach Chip Stone explained how the Wildcats managed to keep his team off the scoreboard.
They denied space to the Pride's playmakers, he reasoned, and that's what good teams do.
"We can play when we are given space," Stone continued. "But when you go against the very top teams, they deny space and great players then become good players and good players come average players."
Add in the fact the Pride missed eight 'point-blankers,' Stone explained, and you have a formula for a shutout.
It helped that Millbrook jumped out to an early lead midway through the first half on Austin Dietz's goal off a free kick, which he sliced neatly into the net, giving Leesville keeper Davis Griffin little opportunity to stop it.
Check out Austin Dietz's first-half goal Monday night.
Then, with less than two minutes before intermission, sophomore Chauncey Cleveland slipped in another goal, allowing the Wildcats to take control of the match.
Millbrook coach Matt Edwards commended Dietz, and explained the junior played with a high level of confidence, which in turn benefited the rest of his squad.
"When he's taking people on, I think that is good for him, and great for the team," the coach said. "The harder he works, the better we are. We have more options then."
Edwards added Cleveland is one of the Wildcats who plays better along side Dietz.
"He is a very creative player, and I think he is starting to come into his own," the coach said, adding Cleveland has made a nice transition to a wing position. "When he is out there with Dietz, he does a good job. And he has had a couple goals for us this year."
If the Wildcats can build the sophomore's confidence, Edwards sees Cleveland becoming a special player.
In the second half, with the Pride forced to become more offensive because of its two-goal deficit, Millbrook countered by forcing Leesville's attackers to make decisions early in runs, and pressuring them once they gained possession.
When the Pride did cultivate scoring opportunities, however, it never seemed the squad's players got the right touch on the ball when in range.
Millbrook's Alex Oloffson (left) holds off Leesville Road's Kyle Davis during Monday's match.
Edwards credited his center backs Conner Dingman and Matthew Smith as well as Bradley Newman for keeping the Pride off the board.
"In the first half we played pretty solid defensively, and in the second we had a ton of energy," the Millbrook coach said. "We were able to go out and attack them. Be the aggressors."
Keeper Spencer LaCivita's solid performance can't be overlooked as he recorded his second consecutive shutout. Last week, Millbrook defeated Northern Durham 5-1.
According to Edwards, the Wildcats were discouraged with their recent defensive effort, allowing two goals to Broughton and three more at Sanderson in their previous conference match-ups. It was definitely an area the group looked to improve on.
"We played aggressive, and we played smart," the Millbrook coach said. "Getting a shutout in conference is a big deal."
Stone reasoned the Pride lacked a certain level of intensity Monday, which the squad has had trouble developing in practice as well.
"We play just like we practice," the coach said. "We deserve to not score those goals because we don't score them in practice either.
"They are bitterly disappointed with this loss, so maybe this is a lesson learned."
The 3-7 Pride has a week to regroup, not playing again until Monday, Sept. 28, when it hosts Wake Forest-Rolesville.
Millbrook (8-3) visits WF-R Wednesday, Sept. 23, and hosts Enloe Monday, Sept. 28.
