POLAND — For the first time in the 2024 season, the Polish women’s soccer team has conceded a goal.
Fortunately, the goal isn’t a shutout, but to score at least one more point than the other team, as Bulldogs head coach Neil Hooda said after the game.
The Bulldogs accomplished that task Wednesday night, keeping their record clean and handing Niles their first loss of the year with a 5-3 home win.
“We did what we had to do,” Hooda said after the win.
Coming into Wednesday’s Northeast Eight match, Poland had completely dominated its opponents, winning each game by at least four goals and being outscored 34-0 in total.
Early on Wednesday, it looked like Poland would maintain its momentum, with the Bulldogs getting a rare and immediate lead on the scoreboard.
“It’s been hard to score in the first half (this season), so it was important for us to score in the first half today, especially against Niles,” Hooda said.
Less than three minutes into Wednesday’s game, senior Sofia Generalovic took a free kick about 30 yards from the Niles goal. Generalovic did a good job of sending the ball over the hands of Dragons goalkeeper Janna Wagner and into the back of the net.
About 10 minutes later, Generalovic took another free kick, this time from about 40 yards out, and despite several players in its path, the ball went unseen and into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead for Poland.
Unsurprisingly, Huda was full of praise for Generalovic, who scored three goals on the night.
“She’s amazing,” Hooda said. “Her shots are incredible. The shot she made in the corner here might be one of the best I’ve ever seen. She just focused and shot it.”
But it wasn’t going to be a big win.
Fifteen minutes into the game, Niles star Kerrington Stanford beat Poland goalkeeper Lily McDonald in the goal for the first time this season.
Just over six minutes later, Khari Rogers also scored a free kick from about 40 yards from the goal to tie the game at 2-2.
Hooda blamed the goal conceded on a lack of communication between the defenders and the goalkeeper.
“We made some mistakes defensively today,” Hooda said, “and we’re going to fix that. I thought the defense wasn’t united at the back, but you always have to be united.”
However, a Poland corner kick ended up in an own goal and Niles were unable to tie the score until half-time.
After the break, the Bulldogs were able to replicate nearly the same pattern that began the game early in the second half.
Generalowicz scored his final goal of the night less than five minutes into the first half, and just minutes later Adi Demaine beat Wagner’s goal to extend Poland’s lead to 5-2.
Niles’ Taylor Bickerstaff scored to put the team within two, but the lead was too big for the Dragons to overcome on Wednesday.
“We outdid ourselves,” Niles head coach Scott McMillan said. “Don’t get me wrong, they’re a good team. They’re a very good team, but you can’t let the ball drop on the goal, you can’t let the ball go through the goal posts when they get there.”
McMillan said Poland’s fast start to the second half in particular had dampened his team’s morale.
“Every time we scored, they scored,” Hooda said. “The first three goals were free kicks. You can’t lose from set pieces. Losing from set pieces means you weren’t good defensively. You can’t concede five goals and win the game. That just doesn’t happen when you’re away against a good team.”
While the results and execution left something to be desired, Coach Hooda seemed pleased that a team that opened the season with 30-0 wins over Akron Manchester, South Range and Girard faces a tougher challenge in conference play.
“I like playing against Niles because it’s competitive, and Hubbard was a good player,” Hooda said, “but it’s hard to gauge (a team’s skill) when you’re playing against players who aren’t as good. It’s good to give players rest, but these girls want to play.”
Niles (4-1, 2-1 ACC) is scheduled to return to action Saturday at home against Boardman.
Poland (5-0, 4-0) will play its second consecutive away game on the road on Saturday with a trip to West Branch.
Have an interesting story to share? Contact Preston Byers by email at pbyers@tribtoday.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @PresByers.
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