Over a year has passed since Concordia University Chicago (5-4) went up against the Blue Angels soccer team. Wednesday Oct. 1st is the 2014 edition of the series, kickoff is at 3:00 in River Forest, Ill. at Concordia Stadium.
Injuries hit Mount Mary University (2-5-1) hard this last week. Becky Onan (Fr./Grafton, Wis.) missed a game against Finlandia University, and her presence was missed as the Blue Angels had to shuffle their lineup and take out offensive catalyst Marissa Rechlicz (Fr./West Allis, Wis.) to place her at goalkeeper. Rechlicz turned away 21 shots officially, but the 5-0 final score went to Finlandia. Onan is expect to be back in place, which will move Rechlicz back on the field to disrupt the opponents offensive attacks, and put the deep ball back into the repertoire of plays for Emily Ristow (Jr./Sheboygan, Wis.) and Ashley Lehen (Fr./Sussex, Wis.).
CUC has owned the all-time series 3-0 since the Blue Angels joined the NCAA. The 2013 affair between the Cougars and MMU was a hard game for Blue Angels fans to watch. CUC hovered around the Mount Mary goal box all game long, smashing 20 shots on goal, and getting seven in the net. All the while MMU was held shotless for the whole 90 minutes.
Offensively, the Blue Angels are getting on the right track, but injuries not only shuffle players in the out of position, it drains the reserves, and in some cases forces most of the team to play the full 90 minutes. With some late season additions to the roster and proper recovery time, MMU will be able to open up the whole field like they have in small stretches this year.
Following the Blue Angels/Cougars contest, it is crosstown rival Alverno College's turn to play MMU. The Blue Angels are looking to put out the Inferno on Saturday Oct. 4th at 12:00 pm on the Alverno Soccer Field.
