Raiders finds adjustments to their liking, pile up six goals in dispatching Railsplitters

QUINCY — That’s more like it.

The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team had only scored five goals in its first five games, but the Raiders’ performance, especially offensively in the second half, in their 6-1 victory Saturday over Lincoln at Advance Physical Therapy Field is an encouraging sign.

“That’s more of what I was anticipating through the season,” QND coach Greg Reis said. “Hopefully we can use this as a confidence builder for next week.”

After leading 2-1 at halftime, the Raiders scored four goals in a 24-minute span and outshot the Railsplitters 14-3 in the second half.

“We got a little more hungry going forward in the second half and figured out how to get behind their defense in the second half. That opened things up,” Reis said. “They were playing a really high line. I thought in the first half, we were trying to be a little too cute with little give-and-go passes, and in the second half they might have pushed their line even a little bit higher, which opened it up in behind.”

Freshman forward Kwamen Tchapda gave the Raiders their 2-1 lead with 4:43 left in the first half on his second goal of the season. Tchapda received a pass in the middle of the pitch near the edge of the 18-yard box from Rylan Fischer and put it home.

“Kwamen just did a nice job cutting in and getting behind the defenders, took a nice touch with his left foot and slid it to the back post,” Reis said.

Tchapda has shown flashes of his finishing ability early in his freshman season, and the more he does, the more Reis believes Tchapda’s teammates will have confidence in him.

“I like his abilities,” Reis said. “He’s got a knack for going to the goal and creating some opportunities. Hopefully that’ll continue to develop as the season goes on and our bigger guys in the middle will get a little more comfortable giving him the ball. The more times he gets the ball, the more goals he scores, the more confidence they’re going to have in him so they’re going to try to play the ball to him.”

Reis made a tactical change ahead of Saturday’s game, moving junior Elliot Hendrian from his traditional spot on the back line to defensive midfield. This switch paid dividends, as Hendrian netted two goals off of deflections — one that put the Raiders on the scoreboard five minutes into the game and another with 25:50 to go in the second half that extended the Raiders’ lead to 4-1.

“Playing a defensive mid, Woody (Logan Woodyard) always tells me on those crosses, just be camped out at about the PK spot and gobble up anything that comes in, and that’s what I did on both of them,” Hendrian said.

Reis wanted his team to be able to win more balls in the midfield, hence the move to pair Hendrian with Alex Strong at defensive midfield.

“I think those two guys did a nice job of controlling their attacks and blowing things up for us,” Reis said. “Elliott has a nice little knack into the box.”

Hendrian welcomed the position change.

“Being able to play both sides of the ball really suits my play style and really helps out the team,” Hendrian said.

Fischer netted two goals in the second half, the first of which came off a rebound chance with 29:14 to go and the second off a Brody Jones corner kick with 5:44 left that put a cap on the scoring. Fischer tucked this header just inside the near post from a sharp angle.

“It was a pretty tough angle, but it wasn’t too bad,” Fischer said.

The Raiders (2-4) will hit the road for the first time since Aug. 28 when they travel to Monmouth Roseville on Monday. They will return home for dates with Springfield and Quincy High Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

Reis is confident in his team’s ability to replicate Saturday’s effort.

“This should be a nice shot in the arm for us,” Reis said.