NORTON SHORES - Things are kind of up in the air for the Reeths-Puffer lacrosse team right now, but one thing seems like a pretty good bet:
Once the Rockets get situated and start playing the way they want to, they will have a pretty good young goalie to help make it all click.
R-P had a rough outing at Mona Shores on Monday night, falling behind early and suffering a 16-3 non-conference loss at Sailor Stadium.
R-P goalie Zander Madole makes a save. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The outcome left the Rockets with a 1-4 record so far this season. Mona Shores remained undefeated at 5-0
While the final score was pretty one-sided, it might have been a lot worse it it hadn’t been for the efforts of freshman goalie Zander Madole.
He was blitzed with shots by a Mona Shores offense that controlled the ball for most of the game, and made a number of remarkable saves.
Madole was particularly sharp in the first quarter, when he made at least six great saves on shots that could have easily been Sailor goals.
Madole makes a jumping save. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The Rockets failed to take advantage and get back in the game, but R-P head coach Josh Robidoux was impressed with his freshman goalie, who was also in net last week when R-P captured its first victory of the season.
“I think he played a phenomenal game tonight, even though the bummer results don’t show that,” Robidoux said about Madole. “In the first quarter he was lights out. I think he made five or six stops before their first goal, which is very rare in lacrosse.”
The main problem for the Rockets was that Mona Shores controlled the ball and kept it in the R-P zone for most of the evening. The Sailors are a good ball-control team and pass very well, and the Rocket defenders weren’t able to do much to challenge their attack.
R-P's Garrison Niklasch (8) looks for a pass. Photo/Jeremy Clark
That eventually took its toll, despite Madole’s best efforts. Mona Shores led 3-0 after one quarter, 7-0 at halftime and 11-2 after three quarters.
Madole was lifted before the fourth quarter, when the Sailors added five more goals.
“I don’t think we applied enough pressure,” Robidoux said. “That’s where our defense really needs to step it up. They were really getting beat with speed , and not getting in position to challenge them to make the tough play. (Mona Shores) kept getting good looks.”
Another problem was that Madole and the defenders struggled to clear the ball out of the R-P zone after saves. The Rocket offense also struggled on the rare occasions they got the ball and had the chance to attack.
R-P's Cohen Beck (2) tries to get the ball past the goalie. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“The chances were few and far between, but when (the offense) did get the ball, they needed to give the defense a break,” Robidoux said. “We had like 20 second offensive possessions, and that’s not much of a break. The defense was not getting the offense the ball, and when they did, the offense was throwing bad passes.
“I do think we can play a lot better. Mona Shores is good, but that was not the type of clean offense we know we can run.”
R-P’s finally got on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter with a goal by freshman Jax Sieplinga, making the score 10-1.
R-P's Cal Millis (22) plays defense.
The Rockets found the net again later in the third on a goal from sophomore Garrison Niklasch, who drew high praise from Coach Robidoux for his play all evening.
Senior Blake Kiel scored R-P’s final goal early in the fourth quarter.
The Rockets will visit East Kentwood on Tuesday night before heading into spring break.