NORTHWOOD – Coe-Brown didn’t quite look like itself in the first half on Friday.
They allowed quirky goal off of a free kick that bounced over goalkeeper Alex Readel’s head, they couldn’t sustain much offensive zone pressure and when they did possess the ball, they were called offsides three times.
Though the Bears’ (9-4-1) play stabilized in the second half, it wasn’t enough to overcome the early score, as ConVal (12-2-0) escaped with its 10th consecutive win and seventh consecutive shutout.
“Our first half we were just antsy, we didn’t possess the ball very well, and that’s credit to ConVal,” Coe-Brown head coach Christian Gompert said. “I think in the second half we pushed the issue much more. We had numerous chances going at their net, but it just wasn’t that day where we could get the right touch.”
Gompert later added that the Bears adjusted their formation at halftime, trying to make things simpler for his players. Though it didn’t produce the equalizer, it certainly led to more offensive chances.
“Another five or 10 minutes, maybe we put one in,” he said of the pressure his team put on ConVal in the latter stages of the game.
Because of rain earlier in the day, the Bears’ typical field wasn’t playable. Instead, the game took place in the outfield of the Coe-Brown softball field, creating a tighter space for the match to take place. This meant both sides had less room to navigate, and it was more challenging to get to deep balls before either goalkeeper could smother them.
Friday was the third straight game in which Coe-Brown faced a fellow top-five D-II opponent: The Bears beat Hollis-Brookline, 1-0, last Friday, and lost to Oyster River, 3-1, on Tuesday. But, Gompert said he’s glad his team has had this opportunity to face the best competition in D-II because it gives them areas to hone in on heading into the playoffs.
“We want to be playing our best soccer by the last game of the season. That’s our goal,” he said. “When you play those top teams, it definitely shows some of your vulnerabilities, and we’ve seen some of that, [but] I don’t think it’s too late for us to clean them up.”
One area of focus Gompert wants from his players is believing in themselves, he said. Sometimes they’ll act and play with confidence on the field but not for the full 80 minutes. As the Bears’ saw on Friday, when facing a team as talented as ConVal, those intangible components are vital.
This might not be the last Coe-Brown sees of the Cougars either, with both teams aiming to make playoff runs. Looking at adjustments his team could make in a future matchup, Gompert focused on what his team can control.
“They’re athletic. They’re fast. That you can’t change,” he said. “But you can change how you manage that. Make sure you’re containing, make sure you’ve got each other’s back, you’ve got a second defender. Just gotta be clean.”
But before that potential rematch, Coe-Brown will have to close out its regular season on a high note. The Bears take on Pelham on Tuesday and Plymouth next Friday.
And even though Coe-Brown has now lost consecutive games for the first time all season, Gompert knows his team has what it takes to make a run.
“My guys are really creative,” he said. “They’re fun to watch.”