The Reeths-Puffer boys soccer team always plays Hudsonville tough.
The Rockets just can’t seem to come up with a goal against the Eagles.
Last fall R-P ran into Hudsonville in the Division 1 district tournament and fell short, 2-0.
On Thursday the Rockets visited Hudsonville for an interesting non-conference game and lost 1-0.
It was only the second time Reeths-Puffer has been shut out this season. The Rockets dropped to 6-3-1 on the season. Hudsonville, a good team that’s been bitten by ties this year, improved to 4-2-4.
The Eagles got the only goal of the game on a corner kick play about two minutes into the second half.
Reeths-Puffer had more than its share of chances to tie the score or even steal a victory.
The Rockets failed to convert on a breakaway opportunity against the Hudsonville goalkeeper and missed three great close-range shots that sailed over the crossbar of the goal.
R-P was outshot 11-8. Rocket goalkeepers Gavin Wright and Liam Copenhaver combined to stop 10 shots.
“We had chances all night and our boys battled really well against a talented and well-organized Hudsonville team,” said R-P Coach Kody Harrell. “We did a lot of things really well and just need to fine tune some of the smaller details that make up big plays.”
Harrell credited Owen Ritsema for creating a lot of scoring chances, and Andrew Eilers and Kaden Vanderlaan for strong defensive performances.
Reeths-Puffer now moves on to another very tough non-conference assignment, visiting undefeated Fruitport on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.