Luther Begins Season on a Learning Note

Well, it has been a three game whirlwind to start the Luther season, and the boys find themselves back at home after a tough trip to Chicago. The Norse began the season with a result on the road against Macalester college. The boys out-played a team Luther lost to last year 2-0 and ended up with a nil-nil tie. Adam Dane and Adam Pyzdrowski each had chances where they were in behind the defense with only the keeper to beat, but they were unable to put Luther on the board. While not completely satisfied with the result, Luther defended well and worked hard. They looked to repeat the effort on their travels to Chicago.
It was Wheaton's season opener under the lights in front of 1200 screaming fans, and Luther was understandably taken aback by one of the best soccer atmospheres in the country. Nationally ranked #23, Wheaton came out firing on all cylinders and it was not long before the Norse were down 2-0. Just when things were settling down, Wheaton put two more in the back of the net right before the half. But when Luther could have hung their heads and just waited for the game to be over, they came out ready to play in the second half. It was a completely different team in the second half, as the Norse were physical, worked hard, and ended up out shooting Wheaton 8-3 in the second half. It was a great recovery for a young team in a hostile environment.
The second game began just 17 hours after the first one had started, and Luther was noticeably tired. They were up against Judson University, a scholarship program out of Chicago with a roster with nationalities that read like Chelsea or Liverpool. With Brazilians, Germans, Dutch, and Haitians dotting the line-up, Luther was in for another battle. They played the first half 0-0, but then Adam Dane opened scoring for the 2009 squad when he received a ball on top of the box, beat a player and bent a left footed shot into the far side-netting. Unfortunately, the Norse were unable to hold off the offensive melee that followed and gave up two quick goals. After chasing the game by moving a defender into the midfield, Luther ended up dropping the game 3-1.
The young 2009 squad has consistently played 4 first-years, 6 sophomores, and two seniors this year and clearly has a lot to learn. They look to improve with a winnable game at St. Olaf on Wednesday.