Posted: Oct 06, 2024
(October 6, 2024) Mena, Arkansas - Still looking for a postseason berth, the Bucks hosted Northeastern Oklahoma A&M on Sunday afternoon. Earlier this season, the Bucks tied the Norsemen 1-1 in Miami.
As the season draws to a close, each game increases with importance and pressure as postseason qualification moves more and more into focus. With so much on the line, it would be totally understandable for the first half to be played at a high tempo as each team pressured the other hoping to take advantage of any mistakes which may happen.
The Bucks' back line was the first to crack with two mistakes which led to a penalty kick and a free kick going through a gap in the wall. The third goal of the half came when NEO played the ball around a defender, and the rest of the defenders in the box failed to clear the resulting cross.
Bucks made some changes for the second half throwing more strikers into the battle. The wish to get an early goal and ride that momentum to an unlikely comeback.
UARM played with a high octane attacking style, pushing NEO backwards and never letting the defenders any time or space on the ball. NEO would respond with resolute defending and piercing counter attacks in transition. The Bucks goal did come through a strike from Muriuki Mwirigi (Nairobi, Kenya), but unfortunately, it came too late for the momentum to take hold.
Coach Sherry is keeping the men looking forward with their goal of making the tournament at the end of the month. "The team has been training very well, and you can really see the improvements each of them are making and as a result, the team is becoming more consistent in their level of play. We won the second half 1-0 which is important moving forward. They know they have to keep their heads down, never let up in their training intensity, and maintain the belief that they can qualify for the Regional Tournament in a few weeks."
The men now turn their attention to the top ranked team in the region, Murray State College. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 pm in Tishomingo, OK.
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