Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Saturday, February 25, 2006

WHITTIER  12  -  CSU  10

WOULDA, COULDA, SHOULDA

We led the Whittier Poets 10-7 with nine and a half minutes left in the game today.  After allowing 5 goals over about a seven-minute span we ended up losing 12-10.  We had the game.  We should have won this very exciting clash.  They were up, we were up, and it was back and forth.  The first quarter ended 3-2 for Whittier.  They scored first, we went up 2-1, and they answered with 2.  Halftime showed a 5-4 lead for the Poets.  After trailing 7-6 after 3 quarters, we scored four in a row to go up 10-7.   They answered with the 5-goal run at the end that I honestly couldn't figure out how to stop.  It all happened so fast, and I had no timeouts by that time to work with, so all I could do was watch.

ONE STEP FORWARD, BUT IT IS A PAINFUL ONE

When we went up 10-7, Whittier called a timeout and in my humble opinion we started to act like we had already won the game.  People were celebrating and I was screaming for them to stop.  I knew how fast the other team could score goals.  We were using energy to celebrate when we should have been focusing on what got us to where we are.  I don't want us to waste energy with an emotional display like that until sometime after the final horn (used to be a gun).

BANG, BANG, BANG

The Poets' three attack men had 5 points each, 15 of their 18 total for the game, and we couldn't stop the three when it counted the most.  This is disappointing for me because I like to think that individuals alone cannot beat us, but individual skill and will had a lot to do with the Whittier comeback today.

I question myself on player usage today, etc.  Did I play so-and-so too much?  Should we use this one more?  I have no problem with our team effort.  The 'kids' fought to the end.  We played hard, scrapped, and we got lots of good looks at the goal.  We moved the ball well, and at times we played great defense. 

WHERE TO NOW ST. PETER? Elton John

I love coaching this team, because I know they want to do whatever it takes collectively to make our team better.  I don't know if I have ever felt such a strong sense of this whole team/family thing I preach so much about.  We've got the collective talent necessary. 

Yes, I am somewhat sad and extremely disappointed about today.  The worst part is that I am all about showing the world we can play with the Division III teams of the world.  We had our chance to work on that but we couldn't finish the deal.   On the other hand, we are just starting in a sense, and the "up" side of this team is enough to keep me extremely exhilarated. 

Meanwhile it's back to the old drawing board.

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