In the 22nd minute of the game, it was not looking good for the Bruins, who had just allowed two goals in two minutes, trailing 2-0 against Quincy (IL). However, Quincy would not score again for the remaining 58 minutes. RBHS would come back and score three goals in 13 minutes, two from sophomore forward Molly Gunter in the 26th and 33rd minutes and a header from senior midfielder Reilly Strong just before halftime in the 39th minute, leading 3-2 at the half. Head coach Gary Drewing said that the team responded very well after going down two goals so quickly.
“Our energy level and commitment to winning 50/50 balls changed after our first goal,” Drewing said. “The entire team lifted their commitment and completely changed the course of the game. A unified team effort is really tough to beat, and we were a really good team after we scored our first goal.”
In the second half, Quincy desperately attempted to regain the lead, but RBHS would secure the win in the 63rd minute with a goal from sophomore midfielder Julia Bower. The Bruins improved to 4-0 on the season with the 4-2 comeback victory over the Blue Devils. Senior forward Katie Cook said that she enjoyed seeing the underclassmen succeed and lead the comeback.
“My favorite moment was probably when Molly Gunter scored her second goal,” Cook said. “It was amazing, the way she went right around the goalie like it wasn’t a big deal. I was so happy for her, she put us back in the game. After that we were serious about pulling through with a win; I think that was the turning point in the game. I just love when [underclassmen] come into the game and have success, it’s the best thing to watch and I am so happy for them.”
Despite their success, Drewing believes that the team still needs to work on bringing their high level performances for the entire game, not just after going down 2-0. Drewing said that he wants the leaders on the team to take ownership of the teams mentality going into games and inspire the team to play at their best for the entire game. Senior goalkeeper Sydney Mulholland is confident that the team will be able to grow in that way as the season progresses.
“Communication on the field is key,” Mulholland said. “As our communication increases our level of play will increase. We started connecting more runs and passes, and as the game went on our confidence built which changed the momentum of the game for us.”
Cook agrees with Drewing and Mulholland, and also believes that the experience of being behind for a third of game not only pushed the team to make the comeback they did, but also will push the team to work harder during regulation to score more goals, as two of their first three games had been decided in penalty shootouts. However, Cook most enjoys the connection the team shares with each other and simply playing the sport with them.
“I’m just excited to see how much we will grow as a team,” Cook said. “It seems like every time we step on the field we grow and learn as a team and find new ways to succeed. This is a special group of girls and I can’t wait for the next time that I get to step on the field with them again.”
By Derek Wang