Opening Loss

Stingers Blow Lead in Preseason Opener

SportsSeth Galina — Published August 20, 2012

Both teams were playing their first game of the season, the first of two out-of-conference games for the Stingers as they open their 2012 season.

After a solid first half where Concordia hit the back of the net twice, the Stingers made full-blown half-time substitutions and 11 new players were introduced to start the second half, including the goalkeeper.

Trent kept their starting eleven on the field and they capitalized by answering the Stingers first-half goals with two quick strikes before adding a decisive winner with about 15 minutes still to play.

The Stingers hope that the third Trent goal was not foreshadowing the upcoming season. After missing a glorious scoring chance on a clear 3-on-1 break, where the Stinger forwards failed to muster a shot on goal, Trent fired the ball back up the field with nicely placed through ball that opened up the Stinger defense.

With the Stingers goalkeeper rushing out of his crease, the Trent forward calmly squared the ball to a teammate who had been making a dashing run on the left side and proceeded to slot the ball into the empty net.

The game marked the opening of the 2012 campaign for head coach Lloyd Barker’s crew, and it was clear that Concordia’s focus is on the regular season, as the substituted first-half players made their way home instead of sticking around to watch their teammates finish the game.

There were some bright spots as #10, Eduardo Mazzonna, playing off the lone striker in Concordia’s formation, looked a cut above the rest of the players. Besides scoring a well timed goal, the forward dropped deep to pick up possession and tried to set the tempo of the game whenever he was on the ball.

Both teams looked more than a little rusty and they will have to gel. After only winning three games the entirety of last season, these Stingers will be looking to pull out more favorable results this year.