Notre Dame takes step back after big win

GREEN BAY - The Notre Dame girls soccer team gave its coach Bob Rickards some hope Tuesday when the Tritons won at Bay Port, 1-0.

The Tritons had been struggling most of the season, but a win against one of the Fox River Classic Conference’s best teams might signal a step in the right direction for a young Tritons team.

That was to be put to the test Thursday, when Notre Dame hosted Sheboygan North, which hadn’t dropped an FRCC match all season. If a step forward was taken Tuesday, the Tritons might’ve taken one or two steps back Thursday.

Looking to build on its best win of the season, the Tritons couldn’t make it two big wins in a row and fell to the Golden Raiders, 3-1. Afterwards, Rickards talked about his team’s play.

“We possessed the ball real well against Bay Port,” he said. “(Thursday) we didn’t possess the ball well. We played a lot of kick ball. We talked about it at halftime and I hoped they would change it but they didn’t.”

Notre Dame dropped to 3-7-2 overall, 2-3 in the FRCC, which is not what is expected from a program this is always good and is coming off a runner-up finish at the Division 2 state tournament last season.

But the Tritons’ struggles are not totally a surprise. Notre Dame lost 11 players from last year’s team and among this year’s 20 players, 14 are sophomores or juniors, including sophomore goalkeeper Gabrielle Woleske.

Furthermore, Notre Dame’s schedule didn’t do it any favors. The Tritons have played state-ranked teams in Division 1 programs Appleton North, Waunakee and Waukesha West and Madison Edgewood (Division 2). North, West and Edgewood were at the state tournament last season, with Edgewood beating Notre Dame in the state final.

Also, the Tritons have played Green Bay Preble, De Pere, Sheboygan North and Bay Port, which are four of the top five teams in the FRCC standings.

“We’re heavy with juniors and just a limited number of seniors and sophomores are in there,” Rickards said. “We’re running a new formation. The schedule’s extremely tough. So I think every game is learning about playing together.”

Rickards does believe the tough schedule should help his team. Based on records, the rest of the slate shouldn’t be as challenging, meaning maybe the Tritons get on a run.

But in order to win, the players have make it happen.

“They have to prove it to themselves, not to me,” Rickards said. “They have to prove it to themselves they can get there. The schedule also loosens up a little bit to allow us to play a little more and get a little confidence.

“I think that’s where we’re struggling, with our confidence.”

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

doug.ritchay@wluk.com