The Decatur Lady Eagles came close to claiming their first win of the season Tuesday.
Despite a goal by Rylan Kennedy off a Braelyn Meador assist, Decatur (0-4) came up short in 2-1 loss against Stephenville at Art Briles Stadium.
“The loss is upsetting from a competitor standpoint,” Decatur coach Kendall Pryor said. “I thought we started a little slow [and] a little sluggish, and didn’t set the tone I wanted from the beginning. That is ultimately on me to make sure we’re prepared mentally and ready to play when we step on the pitch. It was a back-and-forth match, and we definitely had multiple chances to put the game away on our end.”
Despite the loss, Pryor has seen several positives during her first four games on the Lady Eagles’ sidelines.
“We are getting offensive opportunities and shots on goal, [but] we have to find a way to execute,” she said. “We are a fast transition attacking team, and we will create opportunities for ourselves getting in behind the back line. I’m just waiting for a lot of our chances to start falling and connecting.”
Decatur finished winless in three matches at the Southlake tournament last week. The Lady Eagles suffered defeats against Flower Mound (8-0), Plano (7-1) and Southlake Carroll (9-1). Meador scored both of the team’s goals in the tournament, while Addy Kennedy collected an assist in Decatur’s final match.
“The Southlake tournament is a beast,” Pryor said. “A 4A school stepping up to the challenge in a 6A tournament is not something you see. Lots of incredible talent and teams we matched up against last weekend. I am most proud that we executed certain defensive adjustments throughout each game, [and] we found a way to battle physically, compete and sneak in a goal in transition in a few games. That tournament challenged our team in every aspect, and we stayed locked in mentally, kept going and didn’t back down. We learned a lot about ourselves that will help us in the future.”
The Lady Eagles’ next match will be against Denton 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at Denton High School, followed by a home battle versus Castleberry 6:30 p.m. Friday.
“Our non-district schedule is tough,” Pryor said. “There’s no doubt we did not shy away from challenging ourselves. Obviously, with a new coach, new formation and new tactical and technical challenges, as well as players playing different positions than they may be used to and injuries, it’s been fast and furious trying to get players up to speed with expectations and style of play. We haven’t had a chance to truly find our rhythm yet, and that’s OK. We can’t rush the process we are putting in place that we will continue to build on. It doesn’t and it won’t happen overnight. We have to keep grinding it out every day.”
Pryor believes Decatur has what it takes to be a competitive squad in her first campaign.
“This team has been extremely coachable over the past few months,” she said. “They understand I will demand their very best at all times, and force them out of their comfort zones. They listen and adjust. We unfortunately have had some key players out with injuries and will not have them the majority of this season, and it has been rough not having their presence out there with us. But I am proud of the ones who have stepped up and have found ways to contribute in their absence. It truly takes a team, and this team has a bond like no other.”
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