It was a classic triple doubleheader (or was it a double tripleheader?) for the Academy this weekend, with six games producing a total haul of 15 goals scored for your young Loons. Most of the points were split during this trip, as every match was close and hard-fought. After such solid performances against some of the best teams in the division, the boys should be confident in their ability to compete moving forward.
U18
FC Cincinnati 3 - 3 MNUFC
Columbus Crew 3 - 2 MNUFC
The eldest Academy side started the weekend with an exciting comeback as the sun set on southern Ohio. After going down 0-3 to start their tour of the Buckeye State, Coach Alex Morawiecki’s side saw a few second-half substitutions power them to a 3-3 draw, narrowly missing a chance to claim all three points in the dying moments of the match. It was exactly the kind of resilience that any coach would love to see from their team, and while they fell short on Sunday against the Crew, the performances continued to show that the U18s have come back from their break in fine form.
Outstanding performances from Issa Saidi, Gavin Stevenson, and Danny Bokai earned special recognition from their coach. Saidi’s ability to create chances off the dribble continued to impress this weekend, while Stevenson and Bokai’s all-around impact helped right the ship when the team needed to get back into the game.
U16
FC Cincinnati 2 - 2 MNUFC
Columbus Crew 3 - 3 MNUFC
A two-point weekend for the U16s bested their older counterparts, but only by a hair. After creating more quality chances against Cincinnati, tired legs made an already tough matchup with the Crew even tougher, but the boys didn’t let up. Despite falling behind in both matches, Coach Jamie Carroll-Rolfe’s side fought back to earn a pair of draws, demonstrating a determination and attitude that should serve them well as the season goes on.
Several players earned shoutouts from Carroll-Rolfe, including Tim Dennis, whose two goals and constant 1v1 threat played a huge part in his team’s success. Alex Holst and Lazar Angelovski both provided effective performances in the midfield, progressing the ball and making the most of the space in the middle of the pitch. Griffin Giel made news of his own, getting on his bike mid-game to score this insane acrobatic goal.
U15
FC Cincinnati 3 - 2 MNUFC
St. Louis Scott Gallagher 1 - 3 MNUFC
The U15s joined for the trip to Cincinnati but made their way back west to round out the weekend against St. Louis Scott Gallagher. They followed a narrow 2-3 loss in MLS NEXT Flex play with a comprehensive 3-1 victory to close out their trip with a win in league play.
The lads will be staying home this weekend to host Indiana’s finest, as both Indy Eleven and Hoosier Premier will be coming to play all three teams at the National Sports Center Dome. All six matches will count toward MLS NEXT Flex season totals, with the earliest kickoff at 9:00 a.m. and the latest at 1:00 p.m. CT.
