ZEELAND — For the second time this season, the Reeths-Puffer girls soccer team played Zeeland West to a first half tie.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, for the second time this season, the Dux then controlled the game after halftime.
Reeths-Puffer traveled to Zeeland West for an O-K Green tournament semifinal game on Tuesday and had an early lead before heading to halftime tied 1-1.
However, Zeeland West scored four goals after the break to take a 5-1 win and advance to the conference tournament final.
R-P goalie Sara Carlson makes a stop. Photo/Mitchell Boatman
“Three of the four goals they scored in the second half, they did it exactly how we said they were going to do it, because they did it that way in the first game,” R-P Coach Kody Harrell said. “That’s a little frustrating, concerning on our part, because I felt that we were prepared for those plays and kind of still didn’t execute and get on it.”
Harrell suspects his team may have been looking ahead to the upcoming district tournament, where the Rockets drew rival Mona Shores in their first game. Seeing that game on the schedule may have taken the players’ eyes off the game on the field.
“The feeling I get - this isn’t taking anything away from Zeeland West because they did an amazing job today - is I think our girls are so focused on that game next Wednesday, knowing that it’s Mona Shores,” Harrell said. “They lost some focus and attention to detail on some little things.”
R-P's Grace Goodell throws the ball into play. Photo/Mitchell Boatman
Reeths-Puffer will play a consolation game in the conference tournament on Thursday before starting district play next Wednesday. R-P played the Sailors, who are 14-2-2 on the season, to a 1-1 tie early in the year.
The Rockets are now 7-9-2 on the season, including 5-2-2 in O-K Green games.
Harrell said the game — the first playoff matchup between the programs since 2014 — is a big one, and one the team feels ready for.
“That was the fourth game of the year, a lot has happened since then,” Harrell said, noting a difference in the teams’ records. “I think with rivalry games, records and how you’re playing flies out the window. When it’s an elimination game on top of a rivalry game, anything can happen.”
R-P's Jaslynn Kops moves the ball up the field. Photo/Mitchell Boatman
Reeths-Puffer scored first on Tuesday, with Abby Hill finding the net on an assist from Mallorie Messer on a corner kick. The goal came with 24:30 left in the first half.
Zeeland West tied the score at 1-1 on a penalty kick with 18:32 to play in the first. That score held until halftime. The Rockets controlled possession for much of the half but converted just the one goal.
It was a different story after halftime when Zeeland West dominated possession. The Dux took the lead just minutes into the second half on a goal with 36:30 to play. They added goals at the 27:21, 4:30 and 1:56 marks to pull away and earn the win.
Brenna Ackerman minded the net in the first half for R-P and made one save. Sara Carlson played the second half in goal and made a handful of saves.