JV1 RALLY FALLS SHORT VS. PORTSMOUTH IN 2-1 LOSS

The Hanover JV1 squad would face off with Portsmouth on a muggy fall morning. The early morning clouds would start to burn off just as the game kicked off and made for some warm conditions. Hanover would find a quality scoring chance early in the 4th with a through ball from Joseph Umwizeye that nearly connected with Sam Calderwood holding the 18 but the ball would skip over his foot. Play would progress in Hanover's favor for most of the opening of the game. Ian Smith and Augie Krawitt both had excellent positioning on the flanks with interplay and build up that led to some crosses, but were unmet by teammates. As Hanover would start to connect with their passing patterns into the attacking third, There was a clear sense that it spurred Portsmouth to wake up and play harder. Several tackles that Portsmouth made looked to be either at the backs of Hanover players or behind the play. Ian Press, having the ball on his foot so often, took the brunt of this rough play, but weathered it well and stayed eager to continue to perform. Joseph Rudd, who has been a limited participant from attending drivers ed, held his own as an early sub into the game in spite of his time away. Freddie Mierke on the opposite full back was threatening with his long throws that stretched Soren Stettenhiem down into the 18 for a few unfruitful challenges in the first half. In the 29th, Hanover would yield a set piece about 30 yards out on the left attacking flank of Portsmouth. Coach Willie was slow to call for just two players in the wall, and as the Hanover players ran back to mark and set their defense, Portsmouth played their cross deep where they had the numbers advantage. After a small scrum for the ball, Portsmouth toe poked a slow roller that was just out of reach of Wyatt Selig, who had played a solid first half. Hanover would get another chance before half with an Aidan Bradley cross, but Portsmouth was able to layer their defense into the middle of the box to stave off any threat.

The second half would have an inauspicious start as well. Peter Jorgensen, returning after a short stint not playing due to injury, threw his hands up to launch himself in front of a Portsmouth cross. Unfortunately the cross struck his raised hands with them in an unnatural position, and conceded a penalty kick. Christian Blix read the PK well but was just a hair slow going to ground to his left, and the shot squirted by,  making the score 2-0 in favor of Portsmouth. Hanover knew this deficit was not insurmountable and continued to play with exuberance. Stettenheim proved to be a real challenge for Portsmouth's back line and provided several excellent chances breaking from the middle to attacking third On one such play Soren won the ball and drew two defenders, while Nick Riess streaked down the middle for a promising center run. However, Stettenhiem would not get a solid pass on the ball to slide it to Riess. A similar play in the 63rd would find Soren going to goal once again. He made the keeper commit and came off his line and toe poked it into the far side netting to cut the Clipper lead in half. Feeling that they had closed the gap, Hanover continued to keep the ball for much of the final stages of the game.  After a yellow card to Portsmouth's left back, a scoring chance would be had with Augie Krawitt's free kick from the right side, but it was cleared off the 18. In the waning moments of the game Hanover would see another high quality scoring chance. Ian Smith played a high lofted ball to the back of the six where everyone on the field heard Ian Press yell "Mine!". Press just barely pushed the ball wide of the post and lay on the ground for a moment in a demonstrative way that seemed appropriate for the game. 

Where the game may not have yielded the result that Hanover hoped for, it showed that they are capable of playing with the likes of anyone. Both goals conceded were mistakes that can be corrected, and Hanover's efforts could not be questioned. The JV1 look forward to their next game at Salem with another early dismissal on Tue at 2:25p.