Boys soccer wins season opener 3-1

Two days after their scheduled season opener against Greenville was postponed due to weather, the Tippecanoe boys soccer team hosted a very strong Monroe team in their new opener. After jumping out to an early lead, the Red Devils earned a 3-1 victory over the Hornets at Tipp Stadium.

“You always love to get the home ones, and I will take our non-conference schedule against anyone in this area,” Tipp coach Joel Slyman said. “We value non-conference opponents because we challenge ourselves, and Monroe is a good team. I thought our guys capitalized on opportunities.”

“We didn’t have much of the possession, but we capitalized, and in the last 15 minutes, we defended hard. I didn't like giving up that goal to make it 3-1, but credit to our defense. They played lights out and bought in and defended.”

Tipp scored quickly in the opening five minutes of the game on a scramble close to the net finished off by Maddox Robinson to give the Red Devils a 1-0 lead.

Near the midway point of the half, the Red Devils scored again. Cameron Smith picked up the assist, and it was scored by Wes Tipton at 22:31, pushing the Tipp lead to 2-0, which is how the half ended.

“I think it caught them off guard when we scored early,” Slyman said. “Then we scored again kind of quickly. A team of that quality, they didn’t expect that. I love that we got on them early because that is a good team you want to get on early.”

The Red Devils added to their lead quickly in the second half when Caleb Logan found the net just 1:41 into the half giving Tipp a 3-0 lead.

“I thought our guys weathered the storm in the second half. It is always who gets the next goal when you are up 2-0,” Slyman said. “A two goal lead is the worst goal in sports, so all the momentum is on your side if you can get the third.”

Slyman praised the hard work of the defense all night, and despite one goal slipping through, goalie Cole Venters passed the test.

“He has had a wonderful preseason, and he played well tonight,” the coach said. “It’s early for him and he has to keep building on that.” Slyman credited both Venters and Lucas Stout for the solid goalie battle leading up to the season.

Tipp also had a huge non-conference victory on Saturday, making the trip down to Cincinnati to battle a team they have never beaten in the regular season, according to Slyman.

The Red Devils used a last second save to defeat Summit Country Day 2-1 to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Venters saved a penalty kick with 25 seconds left in the game to preserve the win for Tipp. 

Smith scored for Tipp on a penalty kick earlier in the game for their first goal, then Logan found the net off a Maddox Robinson assist for the difference in the game.