Wawasee @ NorthWood 1-1 (0-0)

The first actual game under the lights of the season ends in a 1-1 draw.

FIRST HALF
The first fifteen minutes of the game showed a lackluster performance by the Panhers. In the 14th, Cesar takes a shot that misses to the right of the goal for the only somewhat dangerous action in the first quarter. For another 10 minutes there really is no danger coming from either team. Most of the play takes place in the middle third of the field. In the 26th minute of play, a Wawasee forward gets the ball in the 18 and goes one on one with Maliq who gets the save but the AR had already put up his flag for offside. In the 32nd, Cesar clears the soccer ball from the back. The ball however makes incidental testicular contact with Kronk who needs to leave the pitch to recover. The clock at the half shows a boring 0-0.

SECOND HALF
The start of the second half looked similar to the end of the first. In the 43rd minute of play, Cam passed the ball to his left at about 35 out to Eddie. Eddie dribbled around three players but the fourth took the ball away. The Warriors had a counter attack about seven minutes later. The attack went over the right flank. The Wawasee midfielder took the ball around Jake and went into the box. Maliq came out for a second and went back in as the shot went in the lower left, hitting the inside of the post for the 1-0. Jake received his first booking of the year a few minutes later and received a card for pulling on the opponent. The referee was more flustered then Jake and produced a red card in the excitement of the moment only to change it to a yellow after realizing what he had done. In the 56th, Lincoln passed a ball on the left side to Eddie. Eddie made a couple of moves, the ball got near the GK but Eddie passed him and finished with a controlled kick at the goal; NorthWood was level with Wawasee, 1-1. The whining and crying to the ref from the Wawasee head coach that Eddie had held on to one his players' shirt did not get the reception from the referee he had hoped for.
The Panthers needed Maliq to step in only a minute later on a Warriors shot inside the box. The Panthers were semi-dangerous in the 73rd on a cross from Lincoln from the left. Eddie passed the ball back but we were unable to produce a shot.The 76th minute saw a shot from Lincoln miss to the right. The last and actually one of the few exciting moments of the match came on a 80th minute Conner Beckwith corner from the right that was headed back to Noodle who near the middle of the goal and about 6 yards out got the last chance of the night. His effort missed the woodwork to the left. The final score gave the Panthers their first NLC point of the season. NorthWood's record is now 3-2-1 (1-0-1 NLC).


NOTES
Today's practice will be from 3:30 until about 5 or 5:15. This will give all players the chance to clean up before they cheer on Hoover's Henchmen.

Next week will be an important and busy week for both Varsity & JV; Tuesday both teams will play at and against Warsaw, on Thursday we host Goshen. Varsity will host South Bend Riley on Saturday (9/19) while the JV plays in the JV Tourney in Goshen that day.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we will travel to Bethel College to watch Seth and Indiana Wesleyan play in the Bethel Tournament. Details will be given to the players this afternoon. Admission for all NW players and families is free for the entire tournament. All you have to do is mention that you are with NorthWood as you enter the field.