ROGERS -- Under a warm and overcast sky, with the threat of a major winter storm only a few hours away, the Decatur Bulldogs soccer team traveled to Rogers for their season opener with the Heritage War Eagles.
The Bulldogs struggled to put together an effective offense against a fast-paced War Eagle team in the first half.
Decatur's goalie, Wyatt Bingham, made several key saves, preventing Heritage from scoring throughout much of the half. However, with five minutes left in the first half, a War Eagles kick connected with the net, giving Rogers a 1-0 lead at half time.
"You have to pull it together and do better in the second half, guys," said Barry James, Decatur soccer coach. "You need to play as a team."
James' half-time speech seemed to work. The Bulldogs returned to the field with a more aggressive and unified attitude. Their ball-handling skills, up and down the field, were more effective. They set their sights on the goal.
The Bulldogs, however, missed several scoring opportunities, leaving them scoreless as the Rogers Heritage War Eagles shutout Decatur, 1 to 0.
"You guys looked much better in the second half," James said. "I am proud of your efforts. You have to shake off this loss and move on to the next game."
Decatur will play a makeup game with the Springdale Bulldogs March 11 at 5 p.m. in Springdale. The Bulldogs will play their first home game at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur against the Fayetteville Bulldogs on March 12 at 5 p.m.
For a compete list of soccer games or any other athletic events, go to decatursd.com/athletics for the latest information.
Sports on 03/11/2015